Fresh Start
by Darkl26139
Summary: Chloe moves from Smallville to Gotham. If you like my work, please let me know. Special thanks to Anne McSommers for all her help converting my ideas into English.
1. Chapter 1

**A Fresh Start**

Marching up the stairs to his loft, a slightly frustrated and still sad Chloe asks "Ok, Clark. What is so important that you had to drag me back to Smallville for?"

Clark turns from the hayloft's window and surprise Chloe by kissing her passionately. He kisses her for a long minute before pulling back. He is clearly expecting her to say something. Too stunned to speak Chloe just touches her lips with her finger trying to figure out if this is a dream.

Clark breaks the silence with "Chloe, I finally figured it out. You are the one. We are destined to be together."

"How dare you!" Chloe shouts as she slaps him. Her anger protects her from feeling the pain of slapping his invulnerable chin.

Confused and a bit startled by her reaction, Clark takes a have step back from her. He stammers "But, I though you would be happy. I thought you love me?"

"Are you out of you mind? I just broke up with Jimmy three days ago! How dare you drop this on me now!" Chloe screams as her bottled up anger and frustration explode out of her.

Clark has never been so helpless in his whole life. He just stands there stammering "but I thought you broke up with Jimmy because of me. I thought Jimmy was jealous of our relationship. That is when I realized just how special what we have is."

"I broke up with Jimmy because I was being unfair to Jimmy! I wanted to love Jimmy like I had you but it just wasn't there. I was marring not for love but because he had always been there for me, unlike some. I realized that Jimmy deserved better so I ended it. That scene in the Planet was just Jimmy hurt and angry. I deserved that." Chloe continues.

"But he said you should just go be with Clark since that is where your heart is." Clark points out. He is hoping she can see the truth of their love.

Instead Chloe hits him again by asking "What about Lois? Weren't you two making out just last week?"

Not able to face Chloe on that topic, Clark admits "I thought I liked Lois but I realized what I liked about Lois was how much she reminded me of you. You were with Jimmy so I settled for Lois. I know that is not fair to her and I did break up with her as soon as I heard about you and Jimmy. I finally know who I am supposed to be with. It's you, Chloe. No one has been there for me the way you have. Please Chloe just give us a chance. Turning his boyish charm to maximum, he smiles at her.

In the past that smile would have melted her heart but not today. "You may think you love me but the truth is you are royally screwed up right now. Ever since Lex destroyed any chance of you and Lana ever being together, you have been broken. You need to figure a lot of stuff out before you are ready to commit to anyone. Besides you have a destiny to fulfill." Chloe fires back with a tiny bit of guilt. She hates arguing with Clark but some things need to be said.

"You are wrong! I do love you. I know you love me. Just admit it, Chloe." Clark begs.

Sighing Chloe reins in her temper. She knows she should be more understanding as he is still clueless Clark after all. Still, she has to say "Look Clark. I do love you but the days of being in love with you are long behind me."

Clark collapses like a puppet with its strings cut. As tears start to fall from the Man of Steel's eyes, he mumbles "I was so sure."

Ignoring the feelings of guilt that surge within her, Chloe also restrains herself from rushing to his side. Instead she lets him sob for a minute before she kneels next to him. She gently places her hand on his muscled shoulder as she tells him "Clark, you will be ok. You will figure out who you are. I have faith in you." She then stands and heads out of the loft. Looking back she tries to burn the loft into her memory as this likely the last time she will see it.

Oliver had been surprisingly helpful and discreet with her plans to move away. She greatly appreciates him arranging a place for her to stay as well as a lead on a job. She does wish she hadn't said "Oh anywhere far from here will do. I just need a fresh start." because Gotham has to be one of the most depressing places on Earth. It is clouded most days and it rains the others. Not a great joke but she still smiles for herself. Luckily, they have wonderful coffee.

At last, she can get out of the rain now that she has reached her destination. Wayne Tower may not be the most beautiful building she has ever seen but its gothic style is impressive. Mr. Wayne sure knows how to make a statement. She enters the building with just a tiny bit of nerves. She will be working directly for Lucius Fox. which while exciting is a bit unexpected. She must have done better in her interviews than she realized. At first, she thought Oliver had pulled some strings but he was surprised as she was to get the offer to work for Lucius directly. He even warned her not to underestimate Lucius. He may seem like everyone's father figure but you don't survive in business, particular Gotham business, without having a lot of brains and backbone.

After some paperwork in Human Recourses, she finds herself on the executive elevator headed for Lucius office. When the doors open on her floor, she is startled to see Lucius waiting for her.

"Good morning, Ms. Sullivan." he says with a genuine smile.

"Good morning. I am not sure of protocol around here but feel free to call me Chloe"

"Only if you call me Lucius" he replies.

Before she can exit the elevator, he steps in next to her. Taking out a metal key he inserts it in the elevator and turns it. A panel opens revealing another button. Lucius places his thumb on the button and Chloe realizes it is a thumb print scanner as well as a button. The scanner, apparently satisfied, starts the elevator going down. Chloe tries to count the floors as they descend. It becomes clear they are headed for a subbasement. When the doors open she finds herself in a large room lined with storage cases. Covering one corner is a bank of monitors, computers, and a ton of equipment she doesn't recognize which Lucius informs her will be her work area.

"There are some things you need to understand, Chloe. First, what happens in this room, stays in this room. You will be exposed to some of Wayne Industries most sensitive secrets and I will know instantly if you betray my trust. Second, you will not touch any of the cabinets in this room. You will only utilize the equipment at this work station. Third, I will have a wide range of task I may request of you. I expect honest answers as to whether or not you believe you can accomplish the task. If you lie to me, you will be terminated. Fourth, the only people authorized to be on this floor besides you and I are Mr. Wayne and Alfred Pennyworth. If anyone else tries to access this floor, you are to use this panic button (hands her a small key chained sized device). All your access cards, elevator key, etc are in the large envelope on your desk."

While hundreds of questions rush through her mind she asks the most important "Why me. No offense but you just met me the other day. Why on Earth are you trusting me with all this?"

"You are mistaken. I know a great deal about you. From your days as a school reporter, your encounters with the Luthors, and, most relevant your work for Mr. Queen." he explains as he hands her a thick file. She is a bit unnerved at the way he mentions her work for Oliver. It is almost like he knows Oliver is Green Arrow.

She is stunned by the level of information in this folder. It contains far more details than she is comfortable with. When she looks up at Lucius, she sees him in a whole new light. There is another man behind those eyes of his. A man she fears is a lot like Lex. "You have a lot of interesting stuff here but it still doesn't tell me why you would trust me. If you think I can give you an inside scoop on Oliver, you are mistaken. What your files doesn't mention is that Oliver only hired me to get in good with my cousin whom he was dating. As far as I am concerned, Oliver is a vain, arrogant playboy and I was glad when Lois dumped him."

Laughing he replies "Believe me I have some experience with men like Oliver Queen."

Again she senses there is more meaning to her words than she can grasp. "You still haven't answered my question." Chloe pushes while casually planning the best way to escape should the need arise.

"The simple truth is you are very good at finding out secrets and even better at protecting them. Oliver and Lex would not have let you live this long otherwise. What I need is someone I can trust and my gut tells me you are that person." Lucius says with such conviction she has to accept he is telling her the plain truth.

There is more to this story than he has shown her but she must admit she is intrigued. Deciding to test him, she replies "Trust works both ways. If you expect me to just sweep things under the rug, you have the wrong person. I only protect those secrets worth protecting." 'Damn, you shouldn't have said.' Chloe thinks to herself.

Lighting up the room with a bright sincere smile, Lucius responds "That is exactly why you are the right person for this job. I am not lying when I say you are a truly impressive young woman. I hope you will come to see my as a friend and a boss. Why don't you look at the tasks I have for you and see how your conscious feels about them?"

From any other man Chloe would have thought this was a come on but from Lucius it was just his honest opinion. Rolling the dice, Chloe replies "Ok."

Chloe spends the next several weeks just digging through different parts of Wayne Technologies to find potential ethical and legal problems. She highlights dozens of problems through out the Wayne Empire, mostly in the subsidiary companies, which she brings to Lucius attention. She is pleasantly surprised to see that Lucius appears sincere in his efforts to keep Wayne Technologies on a moral high ground. He has followed up on her finds quickly despite several of these problem cost the company a lot of money in fines and lost revenue. Even though her guard is still up, she finds herself liking Lucius.

The major downside of her job is working alone. She only sees Lucius once or twice over the course of the day and he is the only person at Wayne Technologies that she has any regular contact with. In fact, the other employees avoid her because the rumor is she is some sort of productivity expert who may downsize them at any moment. She wishes she knew how that rumor got started. While the isolation bothers her somewhat, she gets so lost in her research that she barely notices. In fact, she has fallen asleep at her work station so many times Lucius has taken to sending her a reminder email to go home every night at 8 pm.

She hears the dumb waiter ding and she knows it is 6pm. 'God bless Alfred' she thinks as she gets up to claim her dinner. She opens the dumb waiter and is greeted by the wonderful smell of fresh cup of coffee (prepared exactly as she likes it) and a huge sandwich.

She only met the man once but she instantly knew why Bruce couldn't live without him. He came to her work station, heaped tons of politely phrased praise on her and then smoothly mentioned that Lucius was concerned she had not been eating properly. He then followed with "a person who did not maintain their health would be a poor employee." Before she even got in a word of defense, he informed her that he has arranged for meals to be delivered via dumb waiter at 9AM, 1 PM and 6PM everyday. With that he was gone. She never told him anything about her likes and dislikes but everyday the meals where not only things she ate regularly they were scarily to often exactly what she was craving.

She mentioned Alfred's visit to Lucius and was relieved to hear him confess Alfred arranged the same for him. Lucius spoke very highly and fondly of Alfred. It made Chloe have to wonder what a playboy like Bruce ever did to inspire such loyalty. Her current theory was that they put up with Bruce because of his father. Both men worked for Thomas and both men clearly respected Thomas a great deal.

As for the man himself, she can understand Lucius comment a lot better. Bruce is seen with no less than 3 different women every week. This knowledge has actually helped her relax since she believes Lucius thinks the secrets she protected for Oliver had to do with the stream of women going into and out of his clock tower.

At first, she thought his success with women was his roughish good looks which for some reason all women are drawn too but having researched him more closely she realized that is not the key to his appeal. Bruce Wayne is a man who knows exactly who he is and clearly could careless about what the world thinks of him. Bruce has a confidence that Oliver and Lex only aspire too. Being the focus of that man's attention no matter how briefly must be very intense.

Much later than she realized, Chloe finishes her latest research project. While Lucius has not specifically asked her to use her hacking skills to find the information he is seeking, he has pointedly not question her sources. The fact that her system gets all the latest updates including military grade decryption gear makes it clear to Chloe that Lucius is more concerned with getting to the truth than how she got there.

Stretching out the kinks, she gets up and takes the elevator up to the garage level. There she makes her way out a side exit and start her walk home. Clark would be having kittens if he knew she walked all alone along the back alleys of Gotham this late at night to get home but she isn't afraid. She knows how to handle herself. She still had her car but she spent so much time at work, she hadn't needed it in weeks. It just sat in her parking space at Wayne Technologies so she didn't have to pay for parking at her apartment.

As she makes her way home, gunfire draws her attention. Something is happening on the roof of the building next to her. She looks up trying to see what the commotion is all about but can only see shapes. Two figures are firing at a third whom dives on top of them. This takes the fight out of her view but she like everyone else in Gotham recognized that third figure: The Batman. Her old reporter instincts drag her "get the heck out of here" good sense over to the fire escape. She finds herself climbing up to the roof. As she reaches the top, she peeks over and sees Batman tying up the two men he had been fighting with. They look like common street thugs and she can see a small pile of wallets and jewelry next to them.

As Batman is finishing tying them up, she notices something behind him on the roof across the way. She sees the barrel of rifle pointing towards Batman's back. "Batman behind you." she shouts.

Batman dives forward just as a shot rings out. The bullet grazes the back of Batman's head and she hears the bullet ricochet off something metallic like an army helmet. Stumbling, Batman turns towards his attacker and throws one of his famous batarangs. The rifle goes flying as the goon shouts in pain. The next batarang knocks the goon unconscious. The Batman drunkenly makes his way to the edge of the roof top and fires a grapple line. Unfortunately, his injure has affected his aim so that when he tries to swing away, the grapple line comes free. He tumbles and bounces off the fire escape she is standing on and the opposite alley wall before landing unceremoniously on the pavement. He starts to rise but then falls back. Chloe makes her way quickly down the fire escape. She rushes to his unmoving form. Up close she can see his costume is some sort of body armor. It seems vaguely familiar for some reason. Ignoring the temptation to lift his mask, she carefully checks his head wound. She finds no blood as his cowl prevented the bullet from penetrating but couldn't do much about the force. Chloe is fairly certain he has a very bad concussion. She checks over the rest of his body as best as she can and doesn't find any sign of broken bones.

Unsure of what to do with an unconscious and wounded Batman, Chloe racks her brain to come up with a plan. Suddenly, an idea occurs to her. The Batmobile must be around here somewhere. She drags Batman next to a dumpster to try and hide him from casual observes and goes in search of the Batmobile. Sure enough hidden in another alley only two blocks away she finds it.

Rushing back to Batman, she does her best to drag/carry him to the car. Luckily, he is sort of conscious and is able to walk with her support. Getting him in the Batmobile requires her to sacrifice some of her dignity as he basically climbs over her. The effort of getting into the car causes him to blackout again.

'Why is it never the easy way with these guys' she mentally mutters as she flashes on all the times she had to save Clark. Leaning into the car, she tries to find an autopilot or maybe a comlink so she can get Batman out of here. His enemies may laugh themselves to death seeing with her butt in the air as she is leaning over his unconscious form half in his car but she doesn't want to find out.

Unable to reach the control she thinks is a communicator, she climbs fully into the Batmobile. As soon as she does, the top closes trapping her inside with Batman. "Just great" she mutters. Looking around she sees far too many controls she can indentify to feel comfortable pushing random buttons.

Needing to think, she settles into the passenger seat and tries to come up with a solution to her troubles. Without a better idea, she speaks aloud "Car, open up?"

When nothing happens she slams her fists on the console in frustration and jumps in alarm as she hears the engine start. Suddenly a monitor comes on which displays a map of Gotham. She recognizes that the flashing light on the screen is their current location. Before she can push any more buttons, the Batmobile heads out on to the street. Trapped and too afraid to touch anything else, Chloe just sits on her hands as the Batmobile makes its way out of Gotham. She doesn't know the area well enough to follow the roads on the map particularly since the map has no street names. After 20 minutes, the car turns onto a hidden road and drive straight through the side of a cliff. She figured there must be a hidden entrance in the cliff side if the car was heading for it but she still found herself shutting her eyes right before they reached the cliff face.

The Batmobile comes to rest on a rotating platform which slowly turns the car around so it facing back out the tunnel. When the platform stops, the Batmobile's top opens letting Chloe out. Lights come on the moment her feet touch the ground revealing she is in a massive cavern. There are platforms built into the walls of the cavern with catwalks and stairs connecting everything.

Checking Batman once again, she sees he is still out of it. Becoming increasing worried about Batman, she searches the various platforms for medical equipment. She finds a small but well stocked operating room/clinic on one platform. One odd thing catches her attention. There is a button which says "In Case of Emergency." Conclude this is definitely and emergency, she pushes the button. She is amazed to see a robotic arm slide out of a concealed wall compartment. Attached to it is some sort of sensor array, it scans the cave. When the beam passes over Batman, the arm zips over and gently extracts him from the Batmobile. The arm then places him on the table in the medical area. Sensors and other mechanical arms come to life all around the table. When she sees one of the arms starting to remove his mask, Chloe heads down to the Batmobile.


	2. Chapter 2

Part II

Several hours later, Batman sits up slowly. From her vantage point she can only see his shadow. Staying in the shadow, he looks around the cave and quickly spots her. He steps back out of sight on the platform. A few minutes later, he makes his way down to her. She is disappointed to see he is wearing a fresh mask but she also understands.

Trying to reassure him, she says "I didn't look. I was tempted but you are entitled to your secrets. As a former damsel in distress, I appreciate having a hero around."

"It would seem, Ms. Sullivan, that I played the part of the damsel tonight. I am grateful for your assistance and for respecting my privacy." Batman says in his distinctive gravelly voice. Unlike Oliver who uses a masker, his voice is purely human.

"Thank you for believing me." Chloe replies while wondering 'How does he know my name? He can't know everyone in Gotham can he?'

"I don't have to believe you. The cameras in my car and my (pauses) home showed me that you didn't even try to remove my mask. There are not many people much less former reporters who could resist such temptation. You are an impressive young woman." Batman replies.

Annoyed to find herself blushing, Chloe tries to regain her footing by asking "How are you? You took a nasty hit and then the fall had to hurt."

"Fortunately, your warning allowed me to avoid a direct it. Based on the damage to my cowl, I would say that was an armor piercing round which may have killed me on a solid hit. My suit protected me from the worst effects of the fall, just a few burses." Batman calmly replies in a tone that suggests they are talking about the weather.

Chloe notices he does not mention the head injury but decides to leave it alone. He seems to be walking ok and from what she can see of his pupils they are not too dilated. "Well, as much fun as it was saving your life and seeing your home, I need to get home. I have work in the morning." she states.

"My apologies but I am not yet fit to drive. Since I can't risk you knowing too much about this location, for your protection as well as mine, I can't simply let you walk home. That leaves me with few options. The few times I have had to bring outsiders here I sedated them during the journey. Would that be acceptable to you, Ms. Sullivan?" he inquires.

She realizes he is truly asking her permission. Perhaps, he is not as dark or dangerous as the papers make him out to be. In fact, she finds him quite charming and those dark brooding eyes. What girl couldn't get lost in those eyes? Shaking that thought free of her head, she resumes her serious Chloe mode. "Just so you understand I don't let just anyone knocking me out on a first date." she snarks in reply. Inside her head she is kicking herself for saying something so lame.

"As long as you understand I don't let just anyone rescue me." he retorts with a smile.

Chloe is unable keep a stupid flirty grin off her face. When he produces a small device which releases a gas that makes her sleepy, she is realized because maybe she can pass out and save some dignity.

A loud pounding sound wakes Chloe. As she opens her eyes she has to squint due to the sunlight flowing into the room. As she regains her senses, she hears "Gotham PD, we are coming in." Her door opens to see two of Gotham's finest with guns drawn enter her apartment.

Checking that she is dressed, she raises her hands and politely asks "Hi. This is my apartment. Can you tell me what is going on?"

"When you failed to show up for work this morning and failed to answer your cell phone, your employer asked Gotham PD to check on you. Can you tell us why you didn't respond to our call right away?" an officer whose name tag reads Murphy asks.

Thinking quickly Chloe twists the truth enough to answer "To be honest I think I got mickeyed. I met this really nice guy and we were talking then I got sleepy. I stumbled out and just woke up here. My clothes are still on from last night so I think I got away from him before he did anything. I mean I have read stories but I never imagined it would happen to me. He seemed like such a nice guy." She is pretty sure her sweet and innocent Kansas small town girl is working but she adds her best sweet smile to make sure.

"In that case, would you mind checking if you are missing anything?"

Playing along Chloe plays the part of the confused innocent girl who dutifully checks her stuff.

When she reassures them everything is where it is supposed to be, Officer Murphy "Well, it seems you got lucky. A lot of girls are not so lucky. Still, you should get checked out by your doctor just to make sure you are fine. Would you mind giving us a description of this gentleman so we can be on the look out?"

"I am sorry his face is all fuzz. I don't suppose tall, dark, and handsome helps?" Chloe replies.

Laughing, Officer Murphy states "No, here is my card in case you remember anything. If there is nothing else we can do to help, we will be going."

She thinks Officer Murphy might be flirting with her by his last statement. Still, she has another man on her mind so she simply thanks them and sees them out. Next she call Lucius' office to let him know she is ok and to apologize for all the trouble. His assistant puts her call into his office before she can ask for voice mail.

"Chloe are you, ok?" Lucius's worried voice inquires.

"It is a long story but I am fine. I need to clean up and then I will be in." she replies.

"Chloe, it is already 3 pm. Why don't you just stay home today and rest? You can tell me about your adventure tomorrow." he orders.

"It is ok. I think working will help clear the cobwebs. I will see you in a bit." Chloe promises.

After a very long and hot shower she feels like a new woman. She picks out an outfit she wouldn't normally wear to work but she just feels like dressing up today. Images of bats float through her daydream before she drags herself back to reality. 'Really, Chloe what is it you and superheroes' she scolds herself.

So focused on her research she doesn't hear Lucius walk up behind her. "Batman. It happens to everyone." he says causing her to jump.

"Excuse me?" she mumbles as she wonders if she is turning red.

Smiling at her reaction, he explains "Everyone who moves to Gotham looks him up eventually. Personally, I think he is just an urban legend."

"I don't know an awful lot of people have reported seeing him." she replies.

A lot of people see UFOs. It doesn't make either real." Lucius says while hiding his smirk. Bruce told him all about Chloe saving him last night which only added to his own growing esteem for her. There are not many people like Chloe out there that is for sure.

'Oh great, another boss who thinks you are crazy. Just great.' Chloe thinks.

Seeing how uncomfortable Chloe is, Lucius feels a tiny bit guilty about the next part of their test but he has is orders. "Bruce invited us to a party he is giving this Friday. He is most curious to meet you. Apparently, he saw you in the hallway and you made an impression. He was most upset I did not introduce him to my new hire." Lucius explains in a voice that hints at disgust at his employer's behavior and includes a bit of fatherly concern for Chloe.

Chloe groans as she asks "Do I have too? I am no good at these things."

"Mr. Wayne insisted that I ensure your attendance. I tried to get you off the hook by explaining that being new in town, you haven't had a chance to purchase proper Gotham fashions and no young lady could be expected to attend such an event not properly attired. Alas, my ploy back fired. Mr. Wayne acknowledge my point and then insisted that I send you to Madame Suset's Gotham finest and most exclusive fashion designer so she can design an outfit for you. Next he has arranged for one of Gotham's finest hair and make up people to go to your apartment Friday afternoon to assist you in getting ready. Last, he asked to have a car pick you up at your residence so you wouldn't have to worry about transportation. Mr. Wayne, of course, insisted on paying for everything. I am sorry Chloe but you seem to have caught Mr. Wayne's eye." Lucius explains with sympathy in his voice as he puts a fatherly arm on her shoulder. Inside he regrets putting her through this but he agrees with Bruce, they have to be sure.

Mortified Chloe doesn't know what to say. She has no intention of becoming another notch on Mr. Wayne's bedpost but it is clear she will have to make an appearance. She is not too worried. She knows a man like Bruce Wayne will lose interest pretty quickly once he realizes she won't just jump into bed with him. 'Hell, he probably didn't even get that good look at me and will lose interest the moment he sees my face to face.' she thinks. She knows she does not have the Lana level of beauty. If that doesn't work, she is sure she can think of something.

"I can see what Lucius wanted to keep you all to himself." says Bruce with a too big smile which the big bad wolf would have envied.

"Thank you, Mr. Wayne. You are too gallant." Chloe says neutrally.

"Please call me, Bruce." he replies as he tries to wrap her hand in his.

Chloe deftly avoids his hands and his comment by pretending to be impressed with the view from his downtown penthouse. "I must say the view from here is quite impressive. Gotham seems so dreary from the ground. Up here is like a different world.

"Well, I must agree with you on the view." Bruce says with a look that says he is clearly referring to her and not what is outside.

Unimpressed Chloe plans her next ploy to get her off Mr. Wayne's hunting list. Fate is helping her out as she sees Rebecca Doma' crossing the room, clearly looking for someone. Chloe suspects it is Bruce she is hunting since she was his arm candy at last week's charity ball. With an evil grin she says "Oh look. It is Rebecca Doma. I always wanted to meet her. You know her don't you?" She waves her arm to attract Rebecca's attention whom makes a bee line for them as soon as she sees Bruce. The wince Bruce is unable to suppress tells Chloe she just nailed a bull's eye. Still in sweet oblivious mode, she greets Rebecca with "Hi, I am Chloe. I am such a big fan."

"Nice to meet you." Rebecca replies in a dismissive tone as she focuses her attention on Bruce. Draping her arms around his shoulders she says seductively with just a bit of pout "Brucy, you never called after you had to leave so suddenly. I was so hoping we could finish our get together."

Bruce is practically jumping out of his skin, he is so uncomfortable. He gently takes Rebecca's arms from around his shoulders and says "Regrettable a new arrival at Wayne Technologies has been taking all my time. Chloe is an impressive young woman." As Rebecca rounds on Chloe whom she now sees as competition, Bruce grins behind Rebecca's back.

As she tries to fend off the pointed questions of Rebecca, she realizes Bruce has disappeared. 'Damn him!' Chloe fumes internally. He just guaranteed that even if she doesn't sleep with him everyone will assume she did and redirected Rebecca at the same time. She hates to admit it but he sure is quick on his feet.

Having had enough of Rebecca's verbal abuse, Chloe silences her with "If you had more than tits in that dress maybe you could've held his attention for more than five minutes!" 'Did I just say that? Yep, you did. Nice job confirming to everyone within ear shot that you are the boss's new squeeze.' flashes through her brain.

Leaving a stunned Rebecca speechless, Chloe grabs a glass of champagne as she retreats to the balcony. She downs the drink in a single swallow as she tries to find a way to salvage her reputation in this mess.

"Well played Ms. Sullivan but I am man who always gets what he wants." Bruce says from behind her.

'Oh crap. He must have taken my coming out here as a signal. Damn all men!' Chloe mentally shouts.

He comes up right behind her so close she can feel his breath. Unsure how to get herself out of this without doing something drastic which would effect her employment, she just stands still hoping he will go away.

His hand on her shoulder nearly causes her to jump but she manages to keep her body under control. He turns her to face him and she looks into his eyes. What she sees there surprises her. There is so much more behind those eyes than a silly playboy. Realizing he is probably misreading her look, she latches onto a plan. Digging around with one hand in her purse, she finds what she was searching for. Slipping it on her finger, she raises that hand before Bruce's eyes and says "Mr. Wayne, I am flattered you noticed me but you must understand I am engaged."

"Oh? Who is the lucky young man? I wasn't aware you were even seeing anyone here in Gotham." Bruce replies without putting a respectable distance between them.

'He is not giving up easily is he.' thinks Chloe. "That is because he is not in Gotham. He lives in Smallville still. His name is Clark, Clark Kent." she replies. Trapped against the edge of the balcony, she is unable to move further away from him. This close his presence is having an effect as much as she wishes it wasn't.

"So he is not here with you? How lonely that must be?" he replies with a grin every shark would envy.

Since he has ignored her polite ploy to get him to go away, she feels justified in being more direct. "The simple truth of the matter, Mr. Wayne, is with or without a fiancé, I am not interested in you."

"But you fought Rebecca for me? Everyone is a twitter of how you 'marked your territory.'" Bruce replies.

He is so sure she and every other woman is just dying to be with him, it just pisses Chloe off. "What I did in there was to put an arrogant, too full of herself, want-a-be actress in her place for harassing me which I might add was entirely your fault. You sent her after me to save yourself. Not exactly the behavior of a gallant gentleman. Is it Mr. Wayne?" Chloe fires back no longer caring if it costs her the job. Mr. Wayne needs a lesson in manners and she intends to see that he gets it.

Impressed by her fire, Bruce steps back. He does put his best hurt face on so she will believe she has succeeded in chastising him. Secretly, he is pleased she passed another of his tests. He can see why Green Arrow trusts her so. Lucius reports on her work have been glowing and he is even harder to impress. "I am sorry to have troubled you, Ms. Sullivan" Bruce says in an ice cold tone as he concludes their encounter. Bowing formally, he returns to his guests.

'Oh well. I guess I should pick up the want ads in the morning.' Chloe thinks as she sees what she believes to be a very angry Bruce Wayne stalk off. It was his own fault she reassures herself as she pulls her shoulder wrap back up over her shoulders.

"I am impressed Ms. Sullivan. Not many young ladies have the strength of character to turn down the richest and most powerful person in Gotham." a voice says from above her.

Startled Chloe looks up to see The Penguin flying above her using a helicopter umbrella. He lands dramatically next to her, takes her hand, kisses it, and heads into the party. By the time, Chloe has gather her wits, the screaming has already started.

Penguin is waving another umbrella that functions as a flame thrower. "Time to burn, Wayne. Time to watch it all come crashing down." he taunts.

As guest rush for the elevators, they are stopped by Penguin's henchman coming out of the elevators and stairwells. They have everyone trapped.

While Penguin stalks through the party guests, Chloe desperately seeks Bruce but she sees no sign of him. Trying to buy time for a miracle, she approaches Penguin and asks "Is it true?"

Unaccustomed to his victim asking questions, Penguin turns and replies "Is what true, my dear?"

"Well, is it true you are Batman's archenemy?" Chloe asks. Not the best questions she has ever asked but she hopes it will be enough of a distraction.

"Bats? No, no my dear. Joker has made it perfectly clear to all that Bats is his." Penguin replies very politely.

"Joker, really? You seem so sophisticated and clever. I thought you would be the top criminal in Gotham." Chloe states while hoping the praise will hold his attention.

Clearly pleased by the compliment Penguin decides to enlighten Ms. Sullivan on Gotham's underbelly or at least his small role in it. "You see my dear I have no interest in being the top criminal in Gotham and certainly not Bats archenemies. I have no wish for Joker's spotlight. I am content to maintain my humble crime empire. I will admit I try to maintain a certain air of dignity my criminal cohorts all to often lack but that is because I am a gentleman at heart."

"You seem a very pleasant fellow despite the flamethrower." she remarks encouragingly.

"You are clearly a lady of breeding, Ms. Sullivan. You must excuse me though. I am seeking the same rat you chased off the balcony. You didn't happen to see which way he went?" Penguin inquires calmly but with a hint of menace.

Chloe could have kissed him. He just gave her the way to save her reputation. "Regrettably, I did not. He ran off quite upset after I refused to tolerate his pathetic pawing. I mean a lady (looks at Rebecca) must have some standards." Chloe regally replies.

"You are too right, my dear." Penguin says with a smile. He must admit it is refreshing to meet someone not groveling at the feet of Bruce Wayne. "If Mr. Wayne does not show himself within the next minute, I will be forced to do something unpleasant to his guests." Penguin says in a raised voice to proper to be considered a shout.

"Mr. Penguin. I do hate to interrupt you but another guest has arrived." Chloe remarks as she points to the window through which Batman come smashing.

Batman goes into a roll which takes him right next to Penguin and he loses a kick which sends the flame thrower umbrella flying. "It is over, Penguin." Batman declares in his gravelly ultra masculine voice.

To the surprise of everyone, Penguin replies "You have got me once again." He extends his hands held close together so Batman can cuff him.

Cautiously, Batman reaches out to hand cuff Penguin. Right before the cuffs click on, a small puff of gas emerges from his coat sleeve. It stings the eyes of Batman and causes him to step back. Pulling something from his utility belt, he quickly wipes his eyes. It only takes him a second to recover but in that time, Penguin has drawn a small totes sized umbrella which has a knife blade and placed against Chloe's throat.

"Please forgive my poor manners, my dear. I wish you to know how refreshing it is to me such a refined young lady as yourself. Now, if you could make your way to the balcony while Bats stands perfectly still." Penguin says every so politely.

Meanwhile, his henchman are taking advantage of this distraction to make good their escape. Mr. Wayne's guest are torn between witnessing the Batman in action versus saving their skins. The majority decide survival is more important and rush the elevators and staircases. Within moments only a few stragglers remain.

Chloe obeys Penguin's command and steps onto the balcony.

"Please climb up on the ledge, my dear." Penguin politely but firmly requests.

Balancing careful on the narrow balcony railing, Chloe silently wishes Clark was nearby. She knows Batman will do what he can to save her but she knows Clark would save her.

Lost in her thoughts for a moment, it takes her a second to catch what Penguin just said. "I am truly sorry for this my dear but I must distract him. I am certain will not let harm befall such a gem of a young lady." she hears just before he pushes her off the railing.


	3. Chapter 3

Part III

To Penguin's surprise, Ms. Sullivan doesn't scream when he pushes her. In fact, she looks more annoyed at the whole thing. 'Interesting young lady' he thinks fondly as his helicopter umbrella takes him away from his failed criminal endeavor. However, he is not disappointed as he is certain his other cohorts faired much better this evening.

Chloe refuses to be the typical damsel in distress by screaming on the way down. She was not even truly surprised Penguin pushed her off the railing. She had been in these situations often enough to know how this was going to go. Her only concern is whether or not Batman is going to be able to save her. If she gets herself killed, Lois will never let her hear the end of it.

A cable wraps itself around her waist and halts her descent a moment later. She then finds herself being lowered gently down to the ground. This is almost worse than going splat as a large crowd gathers to watch her in all her high fashion finery get lowered like a side of beef to the sidewalk. Without so much as a 'Are you ok', the cable releases her and retracts back up into the darkness. A second later, Batman can be seen swinging his way after Penguin.

"Well, you do know how to liven up a party" Lucius remarks as he comes out of the building to check on her.

Laughing, Chloe snarks back "If you thought that was exciting you really should attend one of Lex's parties." She is proud her legs are holding her up. This used to happen to her a lot but it is still gets her heart rate up.

Helping her into a waiting car, Lucius slides in next to her. "Facing Mr. Wayne and the Penguin in the same evening. Most impressive." he comments on the ride to her apartment.

"Hopefully, I can count on a good reference from you?" Chloe asks trying to start the damage control process.

"Oh, I didn't know you were leaving Wayne Technologies." Lucius replies innocently.

"Come on, not only did I reject him but I made sure everyone who is anyone knew I did it. There is no way Mr. Wayne can let that go. I am totally fired." Chloe exclaims.

"Perhaps he will surprise you. Despite his flaws, Mr. Wayne is a good man. I honestly think he was quite impressed by all your actions tonight." Lucius says reassuringly with a knowing smile.

After insisting on seeing her safely back to her apartment, he says his goodnight and leaves Chloe to get ready for bed. Finally, alone she curls up on the bed still in her dress. She nearly died tonight and that is not the worst thing that happened. Despite Lucius assurances she knows Bruce will not let this go. He may not fire her but he will make her sorry for daring to reject him. She probably should just quit and get it all over with but she knows she is too stubborn to let anyone push her around these days. Her beliefs may cost her but she won't let go of them.

A tap at the window would startle most people but Chloe is not like most people. She just numbly opens the window and leans out. As she expected, the caped crusader is hanging on the side of her building. His batline is hooked around his belt so his hands are free. "You can come in if you want" she says.

"I can't. Too much to do. I just wanted to make sure you are ok. It has been a busy week for you." he says in such a way she thinks it is mixed with sarcasm and concern.

"Well, a girl has to keep busy." she replies lightly.

Batman smiles for such a brief moment, Chloe has to wonder if she really did see a smile. "Let's hope next week is not so eventful." he says with genuine concern.

Reflecting on her life for a moment she realizes she grew up in Smallville fighting monsters and madmen practically everyday. Even the mighty Bruce Wayne can't hold a candle to Lex. Gotham suddenly doesn't seem so intimidating after all. "In my life this was a "normal" week so you don't have to worry about me. I will be just fine." Chloe says with renewed confidence.

"I never doubted that for a minute." he says in a completely serious tone.

Catching herself before a silly smile makes its way onto her face, Chloe forces herself to calmly say "Thanks for checking up on me but I really could use some sleep. I have to work in the morning."

"I am certain Mr. Wayne will understand if you are a bit late tomorrow." Batman says confidently.

"Oh I don't know about that. I don't think I made the best impression on Mr. Wayne." she replies.

"If he cannot appreciate a woman such as you then he is a bigger fool than the papers make him out to be." Batman says with a sincerity that causes Chloe to blush. 'Stop flirting just because she has proven to be more than you hoped for. Besides you didn't arrange all this just so she can be your girlfriend. You have a different role for her in mind.' Bruce mentally chides himself.

Chloe cannot believe she is blushing like the first time Clark looked into her eyes. 'Damn, all men' she thinks. Batman's presence is impressive. Even standing perfectly still, you can sense the intensity lurking just beneath his surface. She has no intention of allowing herself to pine for another unattainable hero. Still she can't help herself when she replies "Thank you. That is the nicest thing anyone has said to me in a long time."

Before he completely ruins his dark knight image, Batman says "Goodnight, Ms. Sullivan." He then fires a grapple to a nearby building and swings away.

Closing the window, Chloe makes her way to her bed and collapses. Sleep quickly pulls her into its embrace. Unfortunately, dreams of a certain farm boy lecturing her on risking her life mix with dreams of wearing black tights and sleeping upside down. As she drags her exhausted body towards her wonderfully smelling automatic coffee maker, she still struggles to shake off her dreams. She doesn't live a normal life; she shouldn't expect to have normal dreams.

To complete her morning, there is a knock at her door. Realizing there is only one person who it could be, she opens the door with "Morning, Clark." before retreating back to her coffee. She sits on a kitchen stool and saviors the flow of caffeine and sugar into her body.

Clark stands in her doorway stunned for a moment by Chloe's reaction to his arrival. Undaunted, he follows her into her apartment carefully, closing her door as he does. "Chloe, what the heck were you thinking!!" Clark demands in his normally adorable overly protective way.

Sadly for Clark, Chloe is not in the mood for one of these lectures. "What are you doing here? I don't recall inviting you." she says in a way far colder than he ever thought possible of her.

"I was worried. Penguin! You almost died last night!" he stammers in his Clark way.

God, she used to think that was so cute but no longer. "Clark, my life choices are none of your concern." she explains gently but coldly.

"How can you say that?" he demands. His sad puppy dog eyes almost break her icy shields but she holds firm.

"Clark, I thought the way I left would have made it clear I was done with Smallville." Chloe says through her own pain. She doesn't want to hurt him again but she knows she may have too. 'Why is it always so complicated with him' she wonders.

"You mean when you tore out my heart and snuck away in the night? Is that what you are referring to?" Clark shouts losing control of his temper. He did not come here to fight with her but the pain is still too fresh for him to bear silently.

Glad that his anger will make this easier, she drive the knife home "Clark, I don't need or want you in my life anymore. I cannot go back to that life."

"But it can be the way you always wanted. We can be together." he explains. He still believes she loves him even though he doesn't understand why she won't just admit it.

"My dreams have changed." is her heart wrenching reply. She can see the hope being crushed out of him by her words. It hurts them both but it is for the best. He is part of her past and he needs to accept that.

"Chloe, at least come back to Metropolis. I can't protect you here." is his final ploy to get her to go with him. They both know if she does he will eventually break through her icy defenses.

Hating herself for saying this, she finishes him off with "I have a new hero to watch over me."

Clark nearly collapses at her cheap shot. He had hoped she would see reason but now he knows he has lost her. "If you ever need a FRIEND, you know where to find one." he remarks in a tone far harsher than he wished but is not sorry for. He heads for her door when there is another knock at it.

'Oh god what now?' Chloe's still far too worn out brain wonders. Shrugging her cluelessness at who might be at her door at this time of the morning, she opens the door. She is greeted by a wall of flowers. Not just roses but flowers over every type imagined. Behind the flowers, stands Bruce Wayne. If Clark wasn't standing behind her, she would just slam the door and go back to bed. Instead she decides to use Bruce to ensure Clark goes back to Smallville alone.

"Why Bruce I didn't expect to see you this morning." she says in her best innocent surprised voice. Her efforts are rewarded as she hears Clark grind his teeth and something of hers breaking in his clenched fist. 'I tried to be nice about this.' she consoles herself.

"I can see I am not needed here." Clark says in his all so dramatic way and he pushes his way past Bruce to make his way down the hallway to her building's elevators.

"I am not interrupting, am I?" Bruce inquires.

"No, just an old friend who thinks Gotham is too rough a place for a small town girl." Chloe replies as she realizes that she is still dressed in her evening gown from last night.

"While I can't blame him for wanting you near, he clearly didn't hear about last night's events. I have to wonder if Gotham can handle "a small town girl" like you." he comments mixing charm with sincerity.

Desperate to keep her embarrassment at his flattery off her face, she focuses her anger at Clark, perhaps a bit unfairly, on Bruce. "So you think some flowers will win your way into this dress?" she fires off. She has to admit he is smooth.

The brief look of amusement that passes across Bruce's face confuses her. It had none of the arrogant playboy she met last night. Intrigued that there may be more to Mr. Wayne than meets the eye, she invites him in. Besides at this point what has she got to lose. She walks back to her kitchen and pours herself more coffee figuring she will need every drop to get through this day. "Coffee?" she offers.

"No, thank you. As I hope the flowers show, I came here to apologize. I behaved inappropriately last night. Lucius gave me a harsh but well earned lecture on my behavior. He is quite fond of you by the way. Your work must be very impressive indeed. I hope you will forgive a foolish billion for his latest mistake." Bruce says with tons of charm but no arrogance.

Chloe wonders if Bruce hit his head last night because this man before her is completely different than the one she met last night. 'Maybe twins or clones?' she theorizes. "Your apology is accepted but the flowers were unnecessary. I grew up with the Luther's. Forgiving the mistakes of rich playboys was a required course at my school."

It takes all of Bruce's considerable training to keep a grin off his face. Here she is the morning after nearly getting killed undauntedly facing the jerk who tried to humiliate her. A truly impressive woman. The young man whom he met this morning was a fool to let her go. She called him a friend but it was clear even from the few seconds he observed that there was a lot more between those two. A moment of jealousy comes upon him when he thinks of her in that young man's arms but he quickly silences it. Refocusing on the business at hand, he replies "You are most gracious. I look forward to working with you in the future. Now, perhaps I should allow you to get ready for your day unless, of course, you wish the day off?"

"Thank you. Lucius was kind enough to make the same offer last night but I think with a bit more coffee and a hot shower I will be able to make it through the day. Now, if you will excuse me?" Chloe states as she walks to the still open door.

"But of course. Have a pleasant day, Chloe." he says. The way he says her name leads her to believe he is testing whether she will allow him the familiarity of first name basis.

"Thank you. Oh, and don't forget to take the flowers with you, Bruce." she lightly snarks with a wide grin as the door closes.

As soon as the door closes, Bruce allows himself to smile. He cannot help but be impressed that she managed their conversation so well. Gathering his unwanted flowers, he proceeds to hand them out to any woman he passes on his way out of the building.

Several hours later, Chloe enters the lobby of Wayne Technologies. As she heads for her elevator, she is surprised when Frank the desk guard stops her. 'So I am fired after all. I guess I should have kept the flowers.' she thinks.

"Ms. Sullivan. They want to see you in Human Resources first thing." he says in a pleasant friendly way.

"Thanks and Frank, please call me Chloe." she replies.

God she hates going to Human Resources. The department is staffed by women who made it clear from day one that they know she got her job on her back. The events of last night probably just confirmed all their nasty little theories. Determined to make this painful process go as quickly as possible, she heads straight for Human Resources.

The clicking of her boot heels is the only noise she can hear as she makes her way through the gauntlet of cubicles to reach the office, Frank told her to go to. She can feel the eyes of all the women in the department on her as she passes.

Reaching her destination, she sees the grim face of the woman she filled out paperwork with on her first day. She thinks her name is Gladys but is not sure so she just says "You wanted to see me?"

"Please come in." Gladys replies as she shuts the door behind Chloe.

As Chloe sits down, she see a copy of the Gotham Times with a picture of her talking to Penguin. The caption reads "Blonde New Comer Puts Billionaire and Crook in their Places." Grimancing, she braces for the bad news.

Gladys has her professional smile on as she asks "I understand you had an eventful evening last night. It is my responsibility to make sure you are ok. Were you injured in anyway last night?"

"We can cut to the chase. Do I get to pack my things or will they be sent to me? Chloe asks. She does not want to dance around the issue. She just wants this over and done with.

Smiling Gladys reassures Chloe "We are not firing you. In fact, my instructions are to give you a raise."

"Ok, I am confused." Chloe replies. She did not expect that at all.

Taking a deep breath Gladys softens her features right before Chloe's eyes. "I know I come across as a hard ass. It is a necessary part of the job but what you did last night was truly incredible. Not that he would look at me twice but even if he did I don't think I could have put him in his place the way you did. I can't tell you how long we have all wanted to slap that arrogant smirk of his spoiled rich face."

Understanding dawning on her, Chloe still has a question "So I am getting a raise for telling off the owner?"

"As much as you deserve one for that, no. You are getting the raise because Mr. Wayne and the entire board were amazed at how fearlessly you faced down Penguin. Your actions saved who knows how many lives. I heard Mr. Wayne was particularly grateful you gave him time to get to his saferoom. The coward. Congratulations, Ms. Sullivan."

"Um, thanks." a stunned Chloe replies.

As she makes her way back to the elevator, she is nervous to see all the female staff watching her. Just before she gets in the elevator, she hears applause. Smiling as the doors close, she looks once more at the business card which Gladys wrote her home number on. She does something crazy and reckless and not only is she rewarded but she found a new friend. Gotham is starting to look better than Smallville.

Settling into her work station, she dives into the latest research project Lucius has requested. This one is a bit more frustrating because the person and business she is investigating doesn't keep their servers on line. In fact, they may not even use a computer which she thought was impossible in this day and age. The little information she has managed to dig up, leads her to believe this guy is a criminal but she has no proof. Not wanting to disappoint Lucius and feeling cocky over last night's events, she decides that tomorrow she will check out the business in person. She spends the next several hours building her cover story.

On his monitors in the Batcave, Bruce marvels at Chloe's work. She is everything Alfred's research said she would be and so much more. He regrets not revealing himself to her the night she rescued him. He should have trusted his instinct more. I mean who wouldn't have at least peeked under his mask? It is no wonder Oliver trusted her enough to bring her in on his little superhero club.

Watching Alfred polish something that didn't need it, Bruce is filled with sadness. He knows death comes for everyone eventually but still he doesn't have to like it. He has no idea how he will get through life without Alfred. As impressive as Chloe is turning out to be, no one will ever be able to replace Alfred. He wishes Alfred would rest more but knows they are too alike to let a little thing like slowly dying stop either of them from doing their jobs. "Soon my friend. Soon you will be able to rest. You chose well." he says to the monitor.


	4. Chapter 4

Part IV

While she thought the parts of Gotham she had already seen were bad, Suicide Slums is truly repulsive. She can feel the defeated hopelessness of this area's residences pressing down on her. Not one to let anything intimidate her, she pushes on. She eventually finds the warehouse which supposedly houses the business Lucius asked her to investigate. She walks to the door but stops before opening it. She hears gunfire inside. Ducking around the back of the building instead of doing what sane people do, run. Once around back Chloe climbs a dumpster to get a look at what is going on inside.

Perched on a pile of something, she doesn't even want to try and identify, she can just see in the window. There she sees a group of men led by a man she recognizes as the owner. They are standing over the body of another man who if not dead will be shortly based on the amount of blood pooling around his body. She hears the owner tell two of the guys to dump the body. They pick it up and head for the rear of the building.

Looking around, Chloe sees a van which she guesses is what they will use to get rid of the body. Still not running away, she climbs down the trash pile and hides behind some barrels on the edge of the canal which runs next to the building.

Too her surprise, the two goons don't head for the van. Instead they walk over to the canal's edge and heave the body in. It occurs to Chloe just how bad the area she is in must be if they just throw bodies in the canal in the middle of the afternoon.

Unfortunately, her hiding place puts her in the eye line of one of the goons. He stares at her for a moment before making a grab for her.

Thanking her cousin one more time for her practicality, she pulls the taser from her pocket and shocks the goon. He drops to the ground twitching. His partner starts to pull a gun but she dives into him before he gets it clear of his holster. She tries to use the taser on him but he catches her arm. His other arm has the gun free and he is pointing it at her chest. Before he can pull the trigger, she kicks him in a place all men should remember to protect at all times. As he drops to his knees in pain, he drops the gun and releases his hold on her. She shocks him for good measure.

A bullet tugs at her coat as it narrowly misses her face. Looking behind her, she sees more goons emerging from the warehouse. With no where to run, she does the only thing she can think of and jumps into the canal. Trying desperately not to think about what she is swimming in, she dives under water till the current takes away from the goons. Several blocks later, she manages to pull herself out of the canal. Filthy water drips from all her clothes and she lost her purse in her escape. Still, she managed to hold onto her wallet so it is not a total loss.

As she makes her way to the road, she should be surprised to see a car waiting for her but she is not. Alfred stands by the car holding a towel. "I thought we might have a chat." he says in proper formal English.

Taking the offered towel, she climbs into the car. Alfred gets into the driver's seat. He takes her through the maze of Gotham streets and heads for the outskirts of town. He drives up to a massive mansion perched on top of a cliff. She knows this can only be the Wayne Estate.

As she gets out of the car and follows him into the main house, she waits for Alfred to explain all this but he surprises her by saying "Perhaps you would like to freshen up before we speak. It will give me a chance to put on some tea."

Nodding her gratitude, she follows him to a guest suite. Laid out on the bed are several outfits which are in her style and size. Not impressed, Chloe picks one out and heads to the bathroom. She lets a fair amount of steam build up before getting undressed and in the shower. She doubts Bruce would stoop to spying on her in the shower but when dealing with billionaires it never hurts to be careful.

Refreshed with all the canal mess cleansed away, she makes her way into the guest suite's sitting room to find Alfred waiting for her with tea and biscuits. Right before he notices her entrance, she catches a glimpse of pain on his face. He masks it as soon as he sees her.

"Feeling better?" he inquires with an impressive mixture of propriety and genuine concern. It is easy to see why Mr. Wayne depends on him so.

"Much, thank you. Now do you mind explaining a few things? Like how you knew where to find me?" Chloe ask.

"I have decided it is time to tell you a lot more than that. Allow me to start at the beginning. I have served the Wayne Family for most of my life. It was a great honor to have served Master Wayne's parents and even a greater honor to serve Master Wayne. I know you and most of the world wonder what the man you see does to deserve such loyalty. Allow me to let you in on the secret. Master Wayne took the tragedy of his parents' deaths and used it to forge something incredible out of it. He became the Batman."

Most people when told this secret react with stunned shock; others exclaim they had always suspected the truth, no one, before Chloe that is, said "Just great." So which one is the real man, Wayne or Batman, she wonders. She hopes it is Wayne because she kind of likes the Batman more than is good for her. Her heart taunts her because they both realize it is probably Batman.

Intrigued by her statement, Alfred almost stops his story but in the end decides to push on. "As to why I am sharing this secret with you now, there are a number of reasons. The fact you protected Mr. Queen's secret identity so well. The fact you provided such impressive tactical and logistical support to his team. The fact you saved the Batman's life. The fact you respected his privacy. The fact you stood up to Mr. Wayne as well as Penguin. All these things mark you as a creative, intelligent, reliable, loyal, courageous and most important honest person."

Not wanting to confirm Alfred's statement about Oliver, she points out with growing concern about why she was brought to Gotham "That doesn't explain why you are telling me all this."

Meeting Chloe's eyes, Alfred says "I am dying. Master Wayne will need someone who can fulfill my responsibilities. I am not asking you to care for the manor. I have made arrangements for those aspects of my job. It is the more (pauses) private aspects that I need your assistance. Will you?"

This is the longest conversation she has ever had with him. She cannot believe he is willing to not only trust her with such a secret but ask her to carry on for him. "Alfred, I don't know what to say. I am honored you would consider me but there is something you need to know and understand. I left Smallville to stop being someone's sidekick and to have a life. I am not sure I want this." she explains honestly.

"That is part of the reason you are perfect for this role. You understand the costs involved. Also, I know that despite your best efforts you are drawn to this world. It is in your blood as it is in his. Please think about it." Alfred implores her.

"How long can I have?" Chloe asks fearful of the answer. She doesn't know him well but he seems such a gentle and caring soul. She will always be grateful for arranging all those meals for her.

"A few days at most. I have another candidate in mind but you are my first choice." Alfred tells her honestly.

"Who?" Chloe asks not really expecting an answer.

"Barbara Gordon" is his surprising answer.

"Isn't she the Commissioner's daughter?" Chloe queries. 'Is everyone a Superhero in this town?' she wonders.

"Yes. She worked with Master Bruce for a time. They grew close and then parted ways. As you can understand, bringing her back into the fold would be uncomfortable and require considerable adjustment on both their parts." Alfred explains.

"Barbara Gordon was Batgirl? Wait, isn't she a bit young for Bruce?" Chloe questions. Barbara just turned 21 and Batgirl was around for at least a couple of years before she disappeared. Barbara must have been 16 when she started as Batgirl Chloe figures. So young to have the weight of the world on your shoulders. She knows since she had been helping Clark since she was 15.

"That was part of the trouble. She didn't understand him when she fell in love with him. She was just a teenager after all. He was not sympathetic to her feelings. Their parting of ways was not on the best of terms." Alfred tactfully explains. He hates drudging up Master Bruce's past but Chloe has to know what she is getting into. Especially, if all Alfred's hopes for her come to pass.

Chloe waits patiently outside Lucius' office until his assistant, Amanda, informs her he can see her now. She walks through the door and Amanda closes it behind her. Lucius points to a table and two chairs set next to his office window with the view of Gotham's harbor.

Settling herself in one of the chairs, she gets right to the heart of the matter "Why me?"

Lucius smiles his fatherly smile as he replies "Well, to be honest until Oliver called we didn't even know you existed. When Oliver asked Bruce to help you find a job, he was intrigued. Oliver doesn't ask Bruce for favors. Also, Oliver arranging your apartment caught Bruce's attention. At first, he thought you were Oliver' bimbo of the month but a quick look into your past showed that was unlikely. Bruce asked Alfred to dig deeper. Alfred discovered that you were the person who was providing logistical support to Oliver and his team. Your computer skills and detective skills impressed Alfred. Considering his situation, he came to believe you would be the perfect candidate to fulfill his role in Bruce's sideline. Bruce was still not convinced so we decided to test you. Your work with me gave us volumes of insight on not only your impressive skill set but your character as well. We hadn't planned on you saving Bruce's life but the way you handled that situation erased any doubts from mine or Alfred's minds. Bruce still needed to be 100% sure so we arranged the party. Bruce was impressed by the way you handled his advances. He knows how charming he can be (slight chuckle). The way you handled Penguin was finally enough to convince him. That answer everything?"

"It is a bit overwhelming." Chloe admits. She is dying to ask how they know about Oliver as she doubts Oliver mentioned it to Bruce. She restrains herself just in case they are still guessing.

"But you can handle it. The only question remaining is do you want to?" Lucius asks.

"Honestly, I don't know. I left Smallville to get away from being the superhero sidekick. I thought I wanted a simple quiet life. Now, I am not sure what I want. I need to go talk to someone who can help me figure that out. I know Alfred needs an answer soon but my trip should only take a day or two depending on flights. I will get back as soon as I can." she explains.

"I will have the company jet waiting for you. There will be a car downstairs to help you get whatever you need accomplished. If you need a car when you get to where you are going, simply call this number (he hands her a card). Know that no matter what you decide, you can always call on me. Good journey, Ms. Sullivan." Lucius says as escorts her from his office.

As she stares out the plane's window, she tries to figure out what to tell Clark. She hates how their encounter at her apartment went. She was tired but she was also angry at him. Still, he didn't deserve what she did to him. It was cruel. She needs to make that right.

Chloe wishes she was charging into a deadly meteor infected monster confrontation rather than riding in a limo to the Kent farm. Clark still has not returned her messages. For so long all she dreamed of was being part of the Kent family. Now, she has a different dream. Now, she thinks she finally knows who she wants to be. She just hopes Clark can understand.

When the limo pulls up in front of the farm, she is stunned to see Mr. Johnson coming out of the Kent's barn. Jumping out of the limo, she runs over to him to ask "Mr. Johnson, what are you doing here? Where is Clark?"

Mr. Johnson looks uncomfortable when he answers "I don't rightly know. It seems Clark got his heart broke really bad and went on one of those walk abouts to find himself. Martha asked me to take over the farm since she is still in Washington."

Shocked by this news, Chloe numbly mumbles "Thanks, Mr. Johnson." as she heads back to the limo. On the ride back to the airport, she tries to reach Martha Kent. After a few minutes, Martha's aid puts Martha on the line.

"Hi, Chloe." she says with sympathy and understanding in her voice.

How she put so much into just "Hi"? Chloe has often wondered. It must be a mom thing. "Is Clark ok? We went to the Fortress, didn't he?" Chloe asks nearly overwhelmed with guilt. She didn't mean to drive him out of Smallville.

"Yes, he did. You hurt him very badly between leaving and whatever happened in Gotham. I don't like anyone to hurt my son but I know you had no choice. I know my son has a destiny and I know you are not part of that destiny. He will figure that out too eventually. I do hope you can learn to be friends again. I know how much he always treasured your relationship." Martha states.

Even though she knows Martha speaks the truth, it still hurts a bit. "Thanks for understanding, Martha." Chloe says with gratitude.

"Good luck, Chloe" Martha replies before hanging up.

She had come to Smallville looking for answers and she found them. Not the way she expected but what in her life has ever happened as expected. The flight back to Gotham is restful now that she has made her decision.

Alfred escorts her down into the Batcave from the mansion. They both pretend not see how much effort it costs Alfred as his body continues to weaken. Bruce is wearing the body armor but not the cowl of his costume studying dozens of monitors when they reach him.

"So you have made a decision?" he inquires without turning away from the monitors.

"Yes but I have some conditions." she replies. Her nervousness is as well hidden as she can manage.

This causes him to turn his full attention to her. "Conditions?" It takes a great deal of backbone to demand conditions from Batman. His esteem for her goes up another notch.

Chloe states "Yes. First if you want me apart of your world, it is all or nothing. There will be no secrets between us. This won't work if there are. Trust me I know from experience." If Clark had only trusted her sooner, they might have found their fairytale ending.

"Partners it is then." he agrees.

"Second, I will not be cooped up in this cave all the time. I want field time." Chloe explains.

"If you want field time, you will need training and equipment. You will not go into the field until I say you are ready." Bruce declares.

"That is fair." Chloe replies. She is please he agreed to her demands without any argument.

"Third, I keep your secrets so you will have to respect I keep others as well."

"You mean Oliver's little group? You wouldn't be much good to me if you did betray them. The only caveat to that is if there is something that is a danger to the world you warn me. I don't play favorites. I do what needs to be done." he states.

"Fair enough." she readily replies.

"Anything else?" Bruce inquires.

"I am sure I will think of something." Chloe replies lightly.

In spite of himself, Bruce smirks. He is looking forward to having Chloe around more than he is ready to admit. "I have rules I expect you to follow as well. Alfred will wheel my rulebook to your room when he has a moment." Bruce replies.

For a moment, Alfred thinks he may have already died. Master Bruce making a joke regarding anything about Batman is unheard of. Hope fills Alfred.

The next few months are brutal both physically and mentally as Bruce pushes Chloe well past her limits. He accepts no excuses. He arranges classes on every subject imaginable and flies in only the best teachers. Every night Chloe is grateful she is so exhausted she cannot feel all the aches and pains in her body. Otherwise, she would never be able to sleep the short time he allows her.

Lucius aids in her training by teaching her about all the equipment Batman uses. There seems to be a gadget for everything. Lucius is truly a genius for not only designing all this stuff but for thinking Bruce may need it in the first place.

Alfred provides what insight he can as well as passes along all his contacts but his rapidly failing body prevents him from doing more. Chloe enjoys the time she spends with him. Alfred is a remarkable man. Having known him a short time does not make watching him slip away any easier. She has come to love this wonderful old man despite her suspicions that he plans for her to be more than Bruce's partner.

She finds it odd that Bruce never talks about Alfred's failing health. The few times she tried to brooch the subject with him, he changed the subject back to whatever exercise he was teaching her. She thought of pushing the subject until she caught him standing vigil over Alfred really late one night. There is doubt he is feeling Alfred's impending loss very deeply. She just wishes he would let her help him deal with the pain more.

These past few months, she has learned why people who know the real man show such loyalty. No one works harder than him. Chloe is amazed that Bruce can stand vigil over Alfred, manage her training, keep tabs of Wayne Technologies, and spend most nights out as Batman. The man never seems to sleep. She truly envies that ability. She has never met anyone so driven. It is a drive Clark could use some of.

As for Alfred's other hopes she is not sure. She remembers all too well the effect love had on her partnership with Clark. It is a mess she wants to avoid for the moment. She will admit to the fact that her heart might beat a bit faster when he has just pinned her and his powerful body rests on top but she chalks that up to the intensity of the moment. A pure physical response to stimuli. Besides all the flattery and flirting from their earlier encounters has disappeared. To Bruce, she is little more than a tool that needs shaping.

The armor Lucius creates for her is a new ultra-light material just recently developed and overlain with titanium alloy plates on the chest, back and other key areas. This armor has proven more bullet resistant than Batman's current armor but the thinner material does not provide as much impact protection. However, it does offer Chloe a much greater range of motion than Batman's armor. The lighter weight is also crucial since Chloe has not developed anywhere near Bruce's level of endurance.

She is not allowed to fight at Batman's side yet and she is not sure if she ever will. She will be manning a new mobile support vehicle that Lucius dreamed up. Disguised as an ordinary tractor trailer, it houses a mobile crime lab, medical bay, and still has enough room for the new batmobile to fit in the back. Thus allowing Batman one more way to disappear. It doesn't even need a driver as the autopilot includes a lifelike mannequin which simulates a real driver. This leaves Chloe free to focus on providing Bruce whatever he needs as support. Bruce still has not agreed to more than a few field tests but Chloe is certain he will soon let her use it on a mission.

Alfred is glad to see Ms. Sullivan fitting in so well to Master Bruce's life. He had hoped to see if she would become more than his partner in crime but sadly he knows he will not. He has held on as long as he can. It is time to rest.

Alfred dies on a Tuesday with Bruce still in his costume holding his hand. He doesn't say thank you but she knows he is gratefully she called him back even though he was about to corner Killer Croc. Bruce would not have forgiven himself for not being here for Alfred's last moments.

The funeral is a major event with a parade of celebrities and dignitaries who much to Chloe's surprise are not there simply because of Bruce's involvement. The biggest surprise guest is The Penguin who humbly pays his respects and causes no trouble. Since the police had no outstanding warrants on him, there was little anyone could do to block his attendance without causing a scene. He says some remarkably touching and sincere words to Bruce as he passes in the line of mourners. Chloe didn't think a criminal like him could express such feelings. Alfred was an amazing man to have touched so many. At Alfred's grave she renews her promise to watch over Bruce.


	5. Chapter 5

Part V

With Alfred's passing a gloom envelops the mansion. Although she never sees him cry, she knows Bruce is simply devastated by Alfred's passing. He throws himself even more into his role as Batman. He leaves Wayne Technologies completely in Lucius' hands. He even backs off on her training so he can spend more time as Batman. She knows he is grieving in the only way he knows so she lets him. Like Alfred would have done, she makes sure he eats and sleeps some. Anytime he tries to argue, she brings up how she promised Alfred she would look after him. This brings a faint smile to his lips as he imagines Alfred standing there nodding his agreement and he reluctantly does as she asked.

The criminals in Gotham have suffered greatly under Batman's increased scrutiny these past few months except for the trio Penguin has assembled. With the might of Killer Croc and the firepower of Firefly led by Penguin's genius, they have had a series of very successful capers.

While Batman has been hitting the streets hard, Penguin noticed that Batman's tactics are less subtle than normal. Batman seems to be just striking out at whatever rears its head. He does not seem to be looking beneath the surface as he is all too famous for doing. Taking advantage of this has been child's play. Anytime he corners one of them, the others create a more pressing disaster somewhere else in Gotham forcing Batman to switch priorities. By the time he arrives at the new disaster, they are long gone.

Penguin only expected to get away with this arrangement for a job or two but it has been months and Bats seems no closer to catching them. Penguin is actually disappointed. He does not consider himself in the same league as The Joker but he is no small minded thug. He expected Batman to have followed up on at least one of the clues, he left behind. Part of the thrill is being hunted. Without the thrill his crimes seem petty and common, something he will never be.

Chloe sees the tear in Bruce' costume as he gets out of the batmobile. She knows just how lucky he got tonight. He cannot keep on like this. He is going to get himself killed. He has grieved long enough, it time she did something about this.

He nearly stumbles as he walks towards her as the after effects of tonight's battles, too little food and no rest claim their toll on him. He likes Chloe. She doesn't badger him the way Alfred would. She has simply gone along with everything he has wanted. Oh, she insists he eat and sleep some but she does not apply the pressure Alfred did. So he is taken completely by surprise when she slaps him hard. Some part of his brain is pleased that her training as improved her upper arm strength.

"You don't have the right!" she yells. One hand on her hip and the other poised to slap him again if needed. Her whole body vibrates with the intensity of her anger.

Bruce is confused. She never yells at him. She does what he asks without protest. Why is she upset? "What are you talking about?" he stammers as his exhausted brain tries to figure it out.

"You don't have the right to kill yourself. Gotham needs Batman and I don't mean this sideshow you have been running these past few months. You need to get your act together." Chloe declares. She almost slaps him again but even with all her training her hands still stings from the first one. She doesn't think even Clark has such a hard head.

"I am out there every night! Saving people, fighting the fight. Tonight alone I stopped six muggings." he shouts back. He prays she will not notice him leaning on the batmobile for support.

"One of those muggers nearly killed you. That knife just missed. (fingers the cut in the suit) The Bruce I know would never have let him even get close. Besides, we both know you kill the serpent but cutting off the head. The crime lords of Gotham are no longer afraid of the Batman. They don't care how many flunkies you take out as they can always get more. Everything you worked for and everything Alfred believed in is slipping away. You are better than this." she fires back. She tried so hard to be patience but enough is enough. Alfred is counting on her.

He stares at her. Her fury at his weakness reminds him that this has always been about more than one man and his pain. "You are right." he admits. He continues "I know Alfred would be disappointed by my behavior. He never tried to replace my father but he was a second father to me. Losing my parents nearly destroyed me. I don't know if I can survive that much pain again. It just hurts too much. It only stops when I am out there. (points to the streets of Gotham through the truck's window)

She understands some of what he is feeling. She takes his head in her hands as she says "Bruce, you are the strongest man I know and believe me I know some strong men. You can get through this. The world needs Batman. I can't take away the pain but I can help you with it. Please try."

He meets her eyes and for a moment he is lost in them. He has no right to the thoughts that come to him. He is pain and just looking for someplace to hide from it. It is not fair to use her that way. "I will." he vows solemnly.

As he sits on the Maui beach drinking a fruity drink with an umbrella, he questions her plan but a promise is a promise so he does his best to enjoy himself. While he does not like this day at the beach, he reluctantly admits to himself he did enjoy climbing the volcano, the hang gliding from the hotel's roof and scuba diving through that reef. Chloe has done an excellent job of planning a vacation which refreshes some of his skills while forcing him to have a bit of fun as well. He watches her as she emerges from the water. She was never fat but under his tutoring she has honed her body. With more than a little guilt, he enjoys tracing the path of the water running off her body. She notices him watching and smiles. For all his charm, he has never mastered smiling that way. It is so open and inviting. Mentally slapping himself, he places her head on Alfred's body to remind himself of the nature of their relationship. Something he is having a harder and harder time remembering.

Chloe can feel his eyes upon her as she breaks the water's surface. She doubts he could see her blush from here but just in case she does her best to repress it. She can feel the intensity of his gaze even at this distance. She likes it more than she should. Bruce is still hurting. It wouldn't be fair to either of them. Besides didn't you learn your lesson the first time you fell in love with a superhero she reminds herself.

Chloe doesn't let them return to Gotham for two whole months. After Maui, she takes them to Nepal then to Alaska. Next it is Australia and then China. Each place is a mixture of vacation and training. It is exactly what Bruce needs to heal even though he will never admit it. The break from Batman has helped him clear his head. It has nothing to do with the courageous, brilliant, and beautiful young woman traveling with him he promises himself. Still, she does look lovely in the moonlight.

Meanwhile in Gotham, no one knows where the Bat has gone. For the first few weeks, the city holds its collective breath waiting. When Batman still has not reemerged, the media becomes full of rumors about what has happened to him. The crime lords cautiously celebrate. In his cell at Arkham, clown rages about his missed destiny. The police redouble their efforts to hold the ground Batman won for them. Ordinary citizens look to the rooftops and pray.

When Chloe finally takes them back to Gotham, Bruce is hungry to be Batman again and the city is desperate for him. Bruce's head is back in the game. It only takes him a few days after their return to devise plans to take down the current biggest threat to Gotham.

In the Gotham Museum of Fine Art, Penguin fiddles with the priceless artifacts in the case. He just doesn't have the heart to pick any of them up. Every caper he has planned has gone off without a hitch. Heck, they don't even bother to split up anymore. The police outside have no chance of stopping them. He should be on top of the world. Without the Bat, there just doesn't seem much point anymore.

Killer Croc has no such dilemma. He happily plunders the cases for their treasures. He throws another sack onto the pile.

Firefly buzzes overhead anxious to burn the place down. He can't wait to see the flames dance their way through all this ancient junk. He flicks his wrist mounted flamethrowers on and off making small puffs of flame that float around the room.

Finally settling on a large ruby encrusted egg, Penguin picks it up and puts in his coat. Croc and Firefly can have the rest. Penguin thinks this will be his last job in Gotham. Perhaps, Century City or Metropolis will offer some excitement.

Suddenly, a burst of flame ignites a tapestry. Penguin looks to Firefly to admonish him for not controlling himself when he sees the most wonderful sight. Batman is beating the stuffing out of Firefly. The Bat guides Firefly straight into the floor as he leaps clear at the last second. Penguin can't help himself when he shouts "Way to go Bats!"

The look Killer Croc gives him is meant to make him regret his words but Penguin just points out that Batman is about to kick Croc. Turning his head quickly back around, Croc catches a glimpse of Batman's boot just before it connects with his chin snapping his head back. It stings but only a little. Croc turns to face Batman and a grim smile forms on his lips. Batman has landed with his back to him and still has not risen. Croc starts to rush Batman when he notices something in Batman's extended hand. It is a small device with a flashing light on top. Batman puts his thumb on the flashing light and Croc realizes it a detonator right before the sleep gas bombs Batman stuck to his hide as he distracted Croc with the kick go off. Croc barely manages two steps before passing out.

Chloe is enjoying watching Bruce back in action. It is clear he is enjoying himself. This is what he was made for. She laughs softly to herself as she sees Penguin standing on the sidelines shouting encouragement to Batman. Bruce had not liked the idea of her being in here but she made it clear she wouldn't let him take on three super villains by himself. She wasn't so much worried about him needing her support; she really just wanted to see him in action up close and personal. She ghosts up next to Penguin and watches as Croc goes down. She remarks "Good to see him back in action. Isn't it?"

Penguin glances next to him to see Batgirl, no wait, Batwoman standing next to him. The confidence in her stance along with her obvious beauty leaves no doubt, she is definitely a woman. He smiles as he replies "You have no idea my dear." He draws an umbrella with a sword blade in the tip (one of his weakest weapon umbrellas) and gleefully charges Batman.

Batman sees Penguin's charge out of the corner of his eye but it is the figure behind him that causes him to pause for a second. Chloe looks magnificent in the Batwoman armor Lucius created for her. Distracted, Penguin almost gets him which surprises both of them. A few seconds later, Penguin is tied up on the floor next to Croc and Firefly. "Shall we go?" he inquires.

Laughing Chloe replies "Lets" and she fires her grapple through the skylight.

She appears to float as the batline pulls her to the roof. Her landing on the roof top is not as graceful as Bruce's is but it is still impressive. Together, they go out into the night to find the next evil doer on their list. The next day the papers, radios, and TV all shout with joy "He is back!"


	6. Chapter 6

_Special thanks to Anne McSommers‏ for all her help converting my ideas into English._

Part VI

It only takes Batman a few weeks to recover the ground lost by his disappearance. In fact, it is whispered he was lying low specifically to get everyone to relax their guard. Tony Maroni doesn't care why the Bat is back. All he cares about is getting rid of him for good. While the Bat was away the Maroni family had managed to regain much of the power it lost with the death of his father, Sal Maroni. Now, the Bat is taking a big bite out of his business. Combine this with his already stretched resources and large number of enemies, and Tony knows he needs to take care of the Bat and soon.

Everyone remembers what that maniac Joker did to Gotham. The Joker came close to taking out the Bat. Tony is convinced if The Joker had focused on the Bat instead of his mad scheme, he could have killed the Bat. With this in mind, he has been researching someone who might be able to kill the Bat and he thinks he found him. There is a man named Bane that has an excellent reputation as a professional problem solver. He has already solved a number of Bat like problems in Europe and Asia. Now, Tony is bringing him to Gotham.

As Tony Maroni waits under an umbrella in the rain at his private airstrip, he imagines what Bane will look like. When the plane door opens and a well built but not all that impressive man gets out, Tony is concerned. However, when he catches Bane's eyes, he is reassured. Those eyes are cold and don't miss a thing. Still perhaps a test is in order. He signals his men to attack.

Bane senses this and looks right at Tony, then nods his acceptance of the test. He touches something on his hand and suddenly he explodes out of his clothes. In the place of a man who stepped off the plane is a hulking killing machine. It only takes Bane a few moments to wipe out Tony's men. Tony claps as Bane approaches him. With Bane towering over him, Maroni does his best to show no fear as he reaches down and hands over the briefcase at his side. "Fifty million in bearer bonds as agreed." he says.

Bane replies "I will collect the money once I have broken the Batman. I must admit I am eager for this confrontation as my research hinted that he may just be a worthy opponent. At the very least, I hope he offers more of a challenge than the other so called heroes I have faced."

"Don't worry. The Bat won't disappoint." Tony assures him.

Bane smiles before bounding onto the top of a nearby building. Tony is impressed, as Bane just jumped straight up two stories. Maybe, just maybe this guy can beat the Bat. Whistling a tune to reflect his good mood, Tony goes to see if any of his men are still alive.

In the Batcave, Chloe ducks, dodging a furious assault. Bruce is merciless in his attack. He offers no quarter and she expects known. She has learned there is no mercy on the streets. She reflects on what Clark would think of all this. He wouldn't understand, but it is much easier to cut your opponent a break when you are practically invulnerable. Bruce catches her in the ribs while she is reflecting. The body armor absorbs most of the blow, but it still hurts. Staggering back a bit, she tries to lure him in. At first, she thinks her plan worked, but then his leg snaps out to catch her just behind the knee. She goes down hard. She recovers as quickly as she can, but not in time to prevent Bruce from stopping his fist just short of her nose. They both know he would have killed her if he had followed through. Chloe tries to stand up and get back into her starting pose but her injured knee does not hold. She grits her teeth as she forces herself to stand anyway, but Bruce surprises her by motioning for her to sit.

"Sorry, it looks like I connected a bit more than I intended. Sit and let me look at the knee." he says. He peels off part of that leg's armor to reveal her knee which is already black and blue. Bruce gently probes the knee while watching Chloe's face for signs of pain. "The knee cap is out of alignment. I can put it back but it will hurt. Prepare yourself." he tells her.

She nods when she is ready and he pops the knee cap back into place. She is proud that she manages to avoid crying out from the pain but she knows she didn't keep the pain off her face. Bruce's look of concern confirmed that.

Bruce is pleased with how well Chloe handles the pain, she has come far. He knows the leg won't be able to bear her weight for a few days so without even asking he picks her up and carries her back up to her bedroom in the mansion. Placing her on her bed, he goes into the bathroom and starts the Jacuzzi. The special mineral water he uses for the Jacuzzis in his house is wonderful for easing all sorts of aches and pains as he knows well. He then returns to her to help her remove her armor.

Over her training, they have seen each other naked many times. He taught to view her opponent as a target and not a person, so that no matter what their appearance or state of dress she would not be distracted. She smiles at the memory of all the outlandish costumes he had worn, and the beating he had inflicted on her the first time he appeared naked for a session. Her torture resistance training taught her to get over her own nudity since removing the subjects clothing is a common tactic used by torturers, particularly against women. Her survival training included being dropped naked in a number of hostile environments forcing her to make everything she needed to survive. She still vividly remembers that trek through the arctic. She had never been so glad to see a wolf before. She still has his pelt in her room.

While Chloe knows all this, something about this time is more personal. The fact he is removing her clothes is not the intimate part. It is how gently Bruce is touching her as he does. She meets his eyes as he carries her to the Jacuzzi. It is one of the most intimate moments of her life. He lowers her in and leaves her to soak.

As Bruce escapes the bathroom, he is fighting hard the pounding of his own heart. He knew he was developing feelings for her despite his best efforts not too. Tonight, he almost slipped and let those feelings consume him. Alfred did not bring her here to be his lover, he chides himself. Having somewhat regained his composure, he heads to the kitchen to get her something to drink and eat along with some medication to help with the pain and swelling of her knee.

As Chloe soaks, she ponders what just passed between them. She knows he felt it too. She reflects on their relationship. She knew she liked him but she had been telling herself she didn't love him. At least not like that. That moment they just shared changed her mind. Her heart won't let her pretend anymore. She is in love with him. It is a far different feeling than she had for Clark, and she hopes that it's a good thing.

By the time Bruce gets back upstairs to her room he is firmly in control of himself once more. She is his partner and his friend, there can be nothing more. When he reenters the bathroom, she has her head tilted back resting on the Jacuzzi's built in headrest and her eyes closed. Her breathing is slow and regular like she is almost a sleep. He quietly places the food, drink, and medicine next to the Jacuzzi. As he is standing back up, she seems to notice his presence. She mumbles something but he does not catch it. He leans closer to hear what she is mumbling.

It takes all of Chloe's training to keep her heart rate and breathing slow and steady to fake being asleep just like Bruce taught. She mumbles very softly "Kiss me." She hopes he will fall for her trap. When he leans in close to make out her mumbling, she strikes. She sits up suddenly so her lips are right in front of his. She smirks since she knows he finds that more sexy than her other smiles. She watches him studying her. She is pleased to see his body is tense as if he can barely control himself. She lets her heart rate climb as high as it wants, and she thinks she hears his increase as well. She can feel his breath on her lips. She licks her lips sensually inviting him closer. She wants to grab him and kiss him till they are both breathless, but she needs him to make the first move.

When Chloe sits up suddenly, just a hair's breathe from his face, all he can do is stare like a school boy. He spends sometime in the deep pools of her eyes before moving to the rest of her face. Her lips seem to beg him to kiss them. He so wishes to, but it wouldn't be right. He desperately tries to maintain his self-control even as he feels it slipping away. He should leave the room but he just cannot bring himself to. When she licks her lips invitingly, his will loses to his heart. He kisses her hard and passionately.

The next morning Chloe awakens to find a note beside the bed. It says "Didn't want to wake you. Working downstairs. Ring the bell if you want help getting ready." There is nothing romantic in the note. It does not even mention last night's passion. From someone else, Chloe would be deeply insulted but from Bruce she knows he is telling her he is ok with what happened. She smiles brightly. Determined to prove his equal, she ignores the bell and gets herself ready. She does use the crutch he left for her. The fact he knows she needs to do some things herself is just another reason she loves him. Clark never understood that.

The heading line reads "New Gotham Girl." The picture just below shows Chloe in an elegant evening gown on the arm of Bruce Wayne. The story reads: It appears that Bruce Wayne has a new Gotham girl. Apparently tired of actresses and supermodels, Bruce decided to shop closer to home. Ms. Sullivan works for Lucius Fox whom we all know is Bruce's right arm and the real power behind Wayne Technologies. While the company refused to disclose exactly what Ms. Sullivan does at Wayne Technologies, it is easy to see why Mr. Wayne values her so.

"Hey, Smallville. Are you all right?" Lois says pointing to the broken glass in his hand.

Clark then realizes he crushed his coffee mug. Dropping the shards into the waste basket, he patiently lets Lois check over his palm to make sure none of the glass cut him. He knew Chloe going to Gotham was a mistake and now she is being humiliated in front of the whole city. Bruce Wayne is known as a bigger playboy than even Oliver. For a moment, he considers rushing off to Gotham, but then he remembers their last encounter. Let her call me, he decides with a bit of bitterness.

"That son of bitch better not hurt her or I will hurt him." Lois exclaims after reading the story that has Clark so worked up. She knows from personal experience how charming and how much trouble these billionaires can be. She looks to Clark with the hurt he is feeling clear on his face. She considers offering some words of comfort but goes with "It is too late to cry now, Smallville. You were the idiot who let her go." She then turns and heads back to her desk.

Clark looks at Lois' smug face. God he hates her. Particularly, the way the sunlight highlights her perfect features.

Bane shadows Batman for several weeks learning his patterns, his fighting styles, and most important searching for weaknesses. Bane is pleased by what he witnesses. Batman is everything he has heard and more. He will be a worthy opponent. But he is still just a man and Bane has found his weak link: Batwoman. For much of the time he shadowed them he saw nothing more than a partner, or perhaps an apprentice. It was not until he caught them stealing a kiss on a shadowy rooftop that he knew he had the Bat. You can get to any man through his woman. It is time.

Chloe sits in the mobile Batcave watching her monitors, but taking her frustration out on the poor seat next to her. She hates being confined to the truck after all those nights gallivanting across the rooftops of Gotham. She hates that Bruce ordered her to stay in the truck these past few nights. She hates it even more that she listened to him. They both know about their shadow whom they have not been able to catch more than a glimpse of. They both know it is unlikely he is a friend. They also know if they were not distracted by their relationship, they would have noticed him sooner. It makes perfect sense for her to sit in this armored mobile fortress so they can both concentrate better. With her on over watch she can monitor a lot more of Gotham while Bruce handles the leg work. Still, she hates the logic of it all. The streets have gotten into her blood and she misses them terribly.

Bane changes his plans when Batman and Batwoman change their routine. All of a sudden, she is staying in their mobile base while the Batman is obviously exposing himself. Their plan is simple, but good. If Bane tries to go after her, they will see him coming long before he can punch his way into that armored mobile base of theirs. If he goes after Batman, she will be able take Bane from behind. Bane smiles. This is turning out to be such a challenge; he just might give Tony back his money. He will have to find a way to separate them and then get one of them to make a mistake. Distracted by his plotting, he misses Batman swinging in behind him.

"Gotham is my town. You really don't want to be here. Go somewhere else" Batman says from behind him.

Bane turns to face Batman. "But I came to Gotham especially for you. You see I have broken many of you so called heroes in my search for a worthy opponent but they all disappointed me. My hope is that you will not." he says as he touches a spot on the back of his hand.

Chloe gasps in Bruce's earpiece as they watch the man before turn into a hulking monster. She cannot let him face that monster alone. She opens the hatch and races to his side. She knows he will be angry, but at least he will live to be angry.

Bruce is undaunted by Bane's change. He leaps high into the air to launch a powerful kick at his opponents head. The blow rocks the giant back but does not fell him. Batman wastes no time in following up with a vicious series of blows.

Bane grunts under the furious assault, but is essentially unharmed by it. He tries to land a blow in return but even with his venom enhanced reflexes he cannot. Batman is very good. Smiling Bane redoubles his efforts. Batman is definitely worth the trip to Gotham.

Realizing his blows are not slowing this monster, Batman changes tactics. He flips up and over the brute while slamming sleeping gas pellets into his face. As he hopes, the monster staggers and then falls.

Chloe arrives in time to see the giant falling to Bruce's feet. She should have known he could handle this. She let her heart and not her head lead her. This is exactly why she is supposed to be in the truck. Their relationship is still too new for either of them to be thinking clearly.

Bruce sees Chloe swing onto the rooftop. She is clearly worried so he refrains from lecturing her about staying the mobile Batcave. She looks so beautiful backlit by the nightlights of Gotham. He takes a moment to just enjoy looking at her.

This is the moment Bane was waiting for. The sleeping gas didn't even phase him, but he thought it best to play possum hoping for just such an opportunity. His arm snakes out catching Batman's leg. His smile widens as first the armor then the leg underneath crack in his grip. He lifts Batman as he stands himself. Still holding him by the broken leg, he slams the Bat face first into the rooftop. He smashes down hard on the Bat's back with his other hand but this armor holds. It will take several blows to break through it.

Chloe watches in horror as the monster grabs Bruce and slams him into the roof like a rag doll. She frantically tries to think of some way to help but her heart has shutdown her brain. She stands frozen for an eternity of a few seconds as this brute smash her love.

Bruce is caught off guard by Bane's attack. He feels the leg give and knows he is in trouble. He chides himself for letting her distract him. He just hopes his mistake doesn't cost him her life. Reaching for his belt he grabs his taser, but loses it when his face meets with the rooftop. Fighting the dizziness this blow caused, he scrambles for another device hoping to save her. He fires the bat line mounted on his wrist through the monster's leg and pulls. The brute falls but does not release his grip on Bruce's leg. The result is Bane pulls Batman on top of him. Ready for it now, Bruce easily blocks the pain from his ruined leg. In fact, he uses the break to turn himself around so he can see the monster's face. Knowing he has no other choice, Bruce fires his other grapple at Bane's face. Unfortunately, Bane catches the grapple with his free hand. He pulls hard enough to pull Bruce's gauntlet off. Not defeated yet, Batman throws some stun and flash pellets at Bane. This gets Bane to release his grip.

As Bane gets back on his feet, Chloe choose this moment to jump onto his back and tries to drive her battering home into the gadget on Bane's back. Bane roars and throws his body backwards. He traps Chloe between his body and the stone roof edge. Bruce can see her lose her grip and slide down next to Bane's feet. She is trying to stand but is clearly hurt. Bruce forces himself to stand despite his ruined leg. As he rushes Bane, he sees Bane's hand wrap around Chloe's head and throw her over the roof's edge. Bruce changes his path to take him past Bane. He sees her hit the wall of the skyscraper next to this one so hard the shatter proof window fractures. Clearly unconscious, she starts to fall. He fires a net between the two buildings to catch her.

Bane takes the opportunity Bruce gives him to grab Bruce at the base of the neck and lower back. He lifts Bruce over his head and drives him into his knee. The loud snap of Batman's spine is sweet music to his ears. He then throws Batman through a brick smoke stack. He is impressed to see Batman is still conscious. He is curious as to why there is a smile on Batman's blood stained lips until he hears the beep of the detonator just behind his head. 'Well, played.' he thinks as the charge goes off.

Batman sighs with relief as Bane's headless corpse topples to the rooftop. He didn't want to kill but now Chloe will be safe. He did it. Now, he can let the blackness claim him.

Batwoman wakes up suspended above the city in one of Batman's nets. She shakes her head clear. She fires her grapple to pull her back to the fight. When she reaches the rooftop she sees the brute is down but so is Bruce. She rushes to him. She cannot believe what that monster did to him. He is hurt bad. She thought Clark was the only one that strong. She drags Bruce's broken and bleeding body across the rooftop but all the blood covering his costume makes it hard for her to get a good hold onto him. At the rooftop's edge, she tries to lift him in a fireman's carry as he taught her but the sharp pain in her shoulder causes her to drop him. Feeling the shoulder with her hand, she finds it is dislocated. Forcing back into place, she tries again to lift Bruce. This time she just manages. She does her best to lower them both down. Unfortunately, hanging by her wounded arm is more than it can take and she screams in pain as the shoulder pops out of place again. Bruce slips off her shoulder and almost falls but she grimly hangs onto him. If she had been thinking clearly, she would have realized they had a dozen different ways to get them back to the truck without further injury. All that matters to her is that she get him there as fast as possible. What it costs her is unimportant.

After an eternity, she gets him into the Medbay. The automated doctor gets to work. She watches his body jerk as the autodoc courses electricity through him trying to restart his heart. It tries everything in its database even a few things no reputable medical doctor would ever as the process is too experimental but his vitals never change. The line stays flat. Chloe stands over him as tears run down both her cheeks. She caresses his cheek with her hand. She can feel the chill of death already cooling his skin. It is so unfair that she finally finds him and this happens. Anger floods through her. She grabs the chest plate of his suit and shakes him. "Wake up damn you! You can't die! (in almost a whisper) You just can't." Chloe pleads with tears flowing unchecked down her cheeks. This is all her fault. He had things under control until she distracted him. 'What ever made me think I could be a superhero?' she wonders. At that moment, she silently calls out to God, the Devil, or whatever might be out there that she will trade places with him. A glow forms around her heart and makes its way down her arms and flows from her hands. "Thank you" is the last thing she says.

Bruce jerks awake. There is a weight on top of him but it slides off and thumps on the floor. Looking around he is confused. He knows how badly Bane hurt him. Why doesn't he feel pain? He tests his limbs and is ecstatic to see his legs move. He flashes for a moment on Bane lifting him above his head and slamming onto Bane's knee. Bruce remembers the sharp pain and the distinct snapping sound of his spine breaking. Next, he examines his torn and battered Batsuit. It is covered in his blood but there are no wounds where the holes in the suit are. 'What miracle saved him?' he ponders as he starts to notice his surroundings. He is in the mobile cave on the medtable. 'What were is Chloe? She should be here?' he thinks as he starts to look around franticly for her. As he gets off the table he sees her. Her bloody and broken body was the weight on him. The glassy look in her eyes makes his worst nightmare a reality. He holds her gently. The smile on her face warms him even as her body cools. 'God, she had an amazing smile.' he remembers. In a back alley of Gotham, Batman cries for his lost love.


	7. Chapter 7

_Special thanks to Anne McSommers‏ for all her help converting my ideas into English._

Part VII

Commissioner Gordon tours the scene. A major battle took place here, two titans clashing in the night. One of the titans' headless corpse is being lugged away by the coroner's staff. The big question is what happened to the other titan. Batman wouldn't have killed unless he was really desperate. Add that fact to the bits of costume and large pools of blood, Gordon is deeply concerned that Batman is no more. A set of smaller footprints leading to the roof's edge gives Gordon a small ray of hope.

Earlier that night:

For the first time in a long time, Bruce is not in control of himself. The pain he is feeling is like what he felt at the loss of his parents, and then again when Alfred passed. He doesn't know if even he can survive feeling this way again. His heart and soul broken, he takes her home to the Batcave.

There he meticulously cleans all her wounds, straightens her broken back, and closes her eyes. Now she just looks like she is sleeping, dreaming of happy times. His soul is blacker than even his beloved night. His examination showed him all the wounds on her body were his wounds. Somehow she took them from him. Not only did she die because of him, she died saving him. He calls Lucius to beg for help.

Lucius is terrified by Bruce's call. Bruce was incoherent. All Lucius was able to understand is that something happened to Chloe. He races to the manor hoping he will be in time to help. When he finds Bruce on his knees before the table Chloe rests on, he knows there is nothing he can do. He stands next to his friend and places his hand on his shoulder.

Bruce does not want the world to know before her family so he orders the Wayne Enterprises jet to be prepped for a flight to Smallville. He will face her friends and family when he delivers the news. While he cannot share all the details, he will make sure they understand this was his fault. He made the mistake. She died protecting him. It should have been the other way around. He doesn't expect understanding or forgiveness. It is just, they deserve the truth.

He cannot bear the thought of her body in storage so he has her coffin placed in the lounge with him. Even his long term employees who are used to strange things happening in Mr. Wayne's life are creeped out by this. They fear for their boss' sanity. He has suffered so much loss. They fear this one has broken him.

The flight into Smallville's private airport is uneventful and lands ahead of schedule but Bruce doesn't notice. He just sits with one hand on the coffin telling her all the things he should have said. When the ground crew comes to load the coffin into the waiting hearse, Bruce numbly follows. The streaks of his tears clear on his face.

Clark is hard at work at the Planet when word reaches the news room that Bruce Wayne is making a secret trip to Smallville. The other reporters don't believe it, because Smallville is no where. Lex doesn't even live there anymore. Clark gets excited because he realizes it is not Bruce coming to Smallville. It must be Chloe. He super speeds out of the newsroom heading for her house. Despite all that happened, he needs her to know he understands now. He hopes they can be friends again.

By the time he gets to Chloe's house, there is a long black car sitting in the driveway. It looks like a hearse. 'Oh god, something must have happened to her father. That is why she is back' Clark thinks. He sees a man coming out of the house whom he recognizes as Bruce Wayne. Bruce looks upset. Chloe deserves better Clark thinks to himself. Still, he tries to be friendly since Bruce is obviously important to Chloe. "Hi. I am Clark. Is Chloe inside?" he asks.

The look in Bruce's eyes causes Clark's heart to stop before the words even leave Bruce's mouth "I am sorry, Clark, but Chloe is dead." he says with such pain. Bruce looks away unable to bear the look he sees in Clark's eyes as it all too accurately reflects how he is feeling.

Clark grabs Bruce with one hand lifting him high into the air completely unconcerned about showing off his abilities as he demands "What happened?"

Bruce doesn't struggle in Clark's grip. He knows he deserves this young man's wraith. He failed her. He admits it willing "It is all my fault. She died saving me. It should be me in there." Clark follows Bruce's gaze back to the hearse parked in the driveway.

This can't be real. This must be like before when Lionel was after her. She can't be dead. Clark absentmindedly throws Bruce through the porch railing as he races to the hearse. He rips the back door off in his effort to open the door. He throws the mangled door behind him, not caring where it lands. He freezes for a moment when he sees the coffin. Hands that can bend steel shake nearly uncontrollably as he pulls the coffin out and opens it. Inside, lies Chloe. She looks like she is sleeping. He cannot hear a heartbeat but he scans her with his x-ray vision anyway. He sees no signs of life. When he touches her cheek, her flesh lacks the warmth he always felt before. She is really gone. Dumb founded his legs collapse under him. He sits in the dirt as the enormity of her death hits. Tears flow freely from his eyes. He has faced all kinds of danger fearlessly but this may be more than the Man of Steel can take.

Bruce lies in the wreckage of the porch dimly aware of the ribs that broke when he hit the railing. He doesn't even taste the blood in his mouth. All his attention is on the young man sitting in the dirt next to her coffin. He wishes he could release the pain in his heart the way Clark is. He is not that lucky. He must suffer for this. He must suffer a long time. He drags himself out of the wreckage heading for her. He vaguely notices the damage Clark did to the hearse but he does not care. He closes her coffin and shoves it back inside the hearse. He did not know if she had any wishes so he left her body intact. It will start to rot if exposed to air to long. In his business, he should have been practical enough to learn her wishes for this dreadful day. Just another thing he let her down on.

Chloe wakes to find she is freezing. She is naked on a cold metal table. No wait, she inside a metal box. I am buried alive she realizes. Bane must have recovered and captured us. Her foggy mind thinks something is wrong with that line of reason but it can't figure out what. Falling back on her training to suppress her panic, she starts to examine the container. It is well made, but there appears to be a door of some kind at her feet. There is not enough room for her to turn herself around to reach the door with her hands. She crunches herself up, uses her arms to brace herself on the side walls, and kicks the door with both feet as hard as she can. She is tempted to call out for help, but if Bane is out there she refuses to give him that satisfaction.

It was Bob's third week on the night shift at Smallville's morgue and so far the job was working out great. He had nothing to do all night but babysit a bunch of dead bodies. Most of the time he watched TV. Smallville was such a quiet town that there was only one stiff in the freezer. Some girl who grew up here but died somewhere else. Hungry, he went to get a snack from the vending machine one floor up.

Chloe kicked and kicked. Her legs were on fire but she knew how to push through the pain. The door opened a crack and then wider. Suddenly, the lock failed completely and the door swung all the way open. Not waiting to see if anyone was coming to investigate, she pushed off the sides with her hands to come flying out. She stumbles slightly as she lands but manages to get to her feet quickly. A man who just dropped his soda and bag of chips stands staring at her. He looks to her, the box behind her, and then he starts screaming. Still unsure of where she is, she leaps onto him knocking to the floor.

"Don't eat me." he whimpers.

"Only if you stop screaming." she replies coldly.

He gulps loudly and nods his head.

Keeping him pinned, she looks around the room. She reads with shock the sign that says "Smallville Morgue." 'How the hell did I end up in Smallville? Wait, Morgue? I was dead?' Chloe tries to process. Memories come flooding back, the battle with that monster, Bruce dying; she did something, and then nothing. It all still very fuzzy but more and more bits come back to her. "How long have I been here?" she asks the terrified tech.

"You were brought in the afternoon. The report says your dad had your body delivered this afternoon." he desperately explains.

"Clothes?" she asks

"I don't know. They don't keep personal effects here. The family usually gets them. There are some hospital johnnies in that closet and I have an extra sweat shirt." he stammers.

She looks him up and down. His clothes will be big on her but she won't stand out as much as she would in a johnny and sweat shirt. "Sorry about this but you are going to have to strip." she explains.

He looks at her clearly still freaked out. She can see his reluctance to lose his clothes so she hardens her eyes and teases "Hurry, I am getting hungry."

In seconds, he is out his clothes. She gives him back his underwear but keeps the jeans and shirt. She doesn't bother with his shoes as they are way too big anyway. She tells him to sit here and count to one thousand. She then exits through the double doors. At the elevators, she sees a floor plan tacked to the wall. Studying it for a second, she maps her route out of the hospital. She needs to talk to Bruce. She needs to figure out what happened to her. She hates leaving her father in the dark, but she also doesn't want to give him false hope. Her condition may only be temporary. It is not fair to ask him to lose his daughter twice. Bruce will help.

As Bruce sits on the ER bed having his ribs taped, he nods periodically to Clark who is bouncing between apologizing for hurting him to blaming him for Chloe's death. Bruce does mind. He knows it is all his fault. Listening to Clark is just part of the price he has too pay.

Suddenly, a man in a sweat shirt and underwear runs up to the security guard station. He is shouting something about a zombie. Bruce tries to listen closer but the noise of the ER is masking too much of what is being said. He notices that Clark does seem to be able to make out what is being said. As Clark starts to move towards the security station, Bruce grabs his arm. "Tell me." he demands.

Clark without looking back says "It is something about Chloe I think."

Jumping off the table even though the nurse is not done bandaging his ribs, he follows Clark. Together they listen to the hysterical story of the morgue worker.

"We should coordinate our efforts." Bruce starts to say, but Clark has disappeared. 'Idiot, no wonder she left you.' he thinks. Bruce heads to the nearest elevator. There he finds a floor plan tacked to the wall. He finds the morgue and traces the path he would take to escape the hospital. He then heads for that exit. He finds himself in an employee parking lot at the back of the hospital. He moves to the perimeter and looks for signs of her passing. It only takes him a minute to find the scrap of cloth caught on the fence, right where he would have climbed the fence. Following, he heads into the woods in search of his love. Afraid of the state she may be in, if it is even her in there anymore; he doesn't call out to her. Instead he stealthily stalks her trail hoping to catch a glimpse of her. He desperately needs to know how to act when he encounters her. He fears one of his enemies has done something to make her into some kind of sick puppet. Mad Hatter or Joker wouldn't hesitate.

He catches sight of her hiding by the edge of the road. She looks surprisingly well. She is purposely moving towards a convenience store. She is making for a payphone on the side of store. A moment later, his cell rings. He answers. The operator is asking if he will accept the charges for a collect call from Carla. Carla is one of their codenames to be used when communications might be monitored. He accepts the charges.

Her voice is the sweetest sound he has ever heard as she says "I know this is really weird, but I swear it is me. I woke up in the morgue. I don't know what happened. Everything is fuzzy but I think I died. I am at a convenience store near Smallville Hospital. Can you come get me?"

"I will be right there." he promises as he walks out of the woods.

She hears him approaching and looks at him. She has a big smile at first then she gets her serious look. Looking down, he realizes he has been running around without his shirt with tape dangling from his chest. He shrugs until he is close enough to hug her. He holds onto her praying this is not just a dream. She tries to speak but he smoothers her words with a kiss.

"Come on. Let's get you cleaned up then we can figure out a good cover story." Bruce says with his arm around her shoulder. He is so happy she is alive he doesn't care about the how. If this is all one sick trick, he will enjoy it while it lasts. She is back that is all that matters.


	8. Chapter 8

Part VIII

Clark races to the morgue. There he sees the box that contained Chloe. He examines the lock and can see it was broken from the inside. He almost allows himself to hope that she may be alive. After all he has come back from the dead. Why not someone else? Finding no more clues here, he super speeds through the hospital searching for any sign of her. When he can't find her, he expands his search to the hospital grounds.

Within minutes he finds her. He is amazed to find Bruce has beaten him to her. They are embracing in a way that leaves no doubt about the nature of their relationship. Suppressing the old jealousy, he focus on the one thing that matters: she is alive! He races to the edge of the woods and then walks out at human speed. "Chloe!" he shouts, so happy to see her.

Bruce turns surprised by Clark's appearance. He must be truly distracted not to have noticed Clark tromping along behind him. He releases Chloe and steps back. To another it would appear he is hiding their relationship, but Bruce is just freeing himself to fight if need be.

Chloe looks at Clark coming out of the woods, and she guilty remembers her harsh words the last time they met. She is not sure she can handle Clark right now, but she knows he was worried too. She owes him something. "Clark." is the best she can come up with.

He hugs her tight enough that she winces. "Sorry. I am just so happy. You were dead? I thought you were dead." Clark babbles, as Bruce stands awkwardly by.

"I think I was, I am not sure how but I came back. Clark, I don't know for how long. It's possible that this may not last. I need to go with Bruce to see some specialists he knows to try and figure out what happened. You can't tell anyone I am alive until I know more. Please promise me you won't say anything. I can't get people's hopes up unfairly." she explains.

"I won't tell anyone. I promise Chloe. If you need me, I am here for you." Clark says in his wonderful Clark way. He sees the look in her eyes and adds before she can "What happened happened. I understand now. It is ok." He pauses for a moment looking towards Bruce "I just want you to be happy."

Chloe smiles broadly at his words, perhaps they can be friends again. She hopes so, she has missed him. Right now though, she has other things to focus on. As Bruce's limo pulls up, she takes Clark's hand and tells him "Bruce and I have to get going Clark, but I promise I will call you as soon as I learn anything."

"I will make sure she does." Bruce adds to his and her surprise.

Back in Gotham, Bruce takes Chloe to see a doctor who has treated Batman from time to time. Her office is in the Gotham branch of Star Labs. Chloe recognizes Doctor Angela Kane's name from the list of former Mrs. Wayne hopefuls.

When they walk into the lobby, Chloe takes a good look at the tall redhead who looks out of place in her lab coat until Chloe meets her eyes. Her eyes make it clear there is a lot more to this woman than just her looks. She strides confidentially over to them. The smile just for Bruce makes Chloe's fur stand up, if she had any that is. Bruce tactfully ignores the smile as he shakes her hand. Dr. Kane looks a bit disappointed at only getting a hand shake.

"Bruce, so good to see you again." she almost purrs. She then turns to Chloe to say "Hi, I'm Angela." The look she gives Chloe has a bit of predator sizing up the competition.

Chloe shakes her hand and replies "I'm Chloe."

"Nice to meet you. Bruce mentioned you are the latest member of his little club." she comments. Chloe blushes so she adds "Not that club, dear." With a twinkle in her eye, she turns and says over her shoulder "Follow me."

Chloe hates to admit it, but it seems Bruce does have good taste in woman. She is straight as can be but still can't help being impressed by the good doctor's looks and wits. Raising her eyebrow as she gives Bruce a look, she starts off after Dr. Kane.

For a brief moment Bruce finds himself wishing he was facing Bane once more rather than these two formidable women.

Once in her lab, she shuts the door behind them. Bruce then places a device on the counter. When he nods, she says "So you are the new Batwoman. Don't worry I've been keeping Bruce's secrets for a long time now. I must admit I am very curious to examine you. I have never had a patient who had returned from the dead, although I have several that came awfully close more than once." she says, glancing at Bruce

"As to what happened, I have no idea. One minute Bruce is dying in front of me, then there was a glow, then darkness and I'm waking up in the morgue. That is all I can really remember." Chloe tells her.

"There was video surveillance which I brought. I haven't watched it so I don't know if it can help." Bruce tells them.

"Well, why don't we start there." suggests Dr. Kane.

As they view the video, Bruce's throat tightens up as he watches her sacrifice herself to save him. He looks to her trying to find the words. He silently promises to never let her do that again. It is an insane promise he knows but since when as anyone in love ever been sane.

She meets his gaze and stammers "It was my fault. I was supposed to stay put. I couldn't watch you die. I begged the universe to help."

He cups her chin as he reassures "No, it wasn't. I shouldn't have let my guard down. I know better. It is my fault you had to go through all this."

"This is interesting. The light starts here" she says pointing at Chloes chest "and works its way down her arms. I don't suppose you're the child of a superhero? Or exposed to some toxic goo? That is usually how powers manifest." the doctor explains pretending not to have heard their exchange. "_Bruce never apologized to me for anything he did._ _What is so special about this one?" _she thought

"Kryptonite. I was exposed to large amounts of Kryptonite. It was all over Smallville." Chloe remarks, as she suddenly remembers all the strange powers that manifested in people exposed to Kryptonite. "There were dozen of people who developed abilities due to exposure to the stuff." she adds.

"Kryptonite? I have never heard of it. Is it local to Smallville?" the doctor asks.

"Sort of. It came from the meteor showers that struck Smallville." Chloe tells her.

"Interesting. I don't suppose you have a sample of this Kryptonite?" Chloe shakes her head no. "In that case, why don't we start with a full body scan.? Take your clothes off and climb into this machine here." Dr. Kane instructs.

Chloe finds herself feeling a bit claustrophobic climbing back into a narrow metal box, but Bruce's presence calms her. He makes sure he stands where she can see him at all times. The scan isn't painful, but it does take an hour. Then she draws blood and performs a dozen other tests.

When all the tests are complete, Dr. Kane spends several minutes studying them and muttering to herself. The suspense is killing her but Chloe refrains from asking for the results. Bruce, however, is not as patient and repeatedly asks "What did you find?"

Finally, Dr. Kane replies "I am not sure. There is a foreign element all around her heart. I have never seen anything like this before. This might be the Kryptonite you mentioned. To even begin to think of a treatment, I will need a sample."

Chloe just has to ask "Will I stay alive? Is this permanent or only temporary?"

"Well, I can't say for certain but from these results I can find nothing wrong with you. You are a healthy normal young woman as far as the tests are concerned." she replies.

Bruce wraps his arm around Chloe which causes Dr. Kane raises an eyebrow. "_Clearly, this young lady has superpowers if she has managed to grab Bruce's heart". _she thinks.

"Thank you, Angela." Bruce says. "I will arrange for a sample of Kryptonite to be sent to you as soon as possible." he continues.

Chloe is quiet on the ride back to the mansion. Bruce is not sure what to say but he has never been great at comforting people. He helps her inside and takes her to her room. There he leaves her figuring she needs sometime to herself. She smiles as he leaves, which gives him hope that everything will be ok. He heads down to the cave to work. There are a lot of lose ends to tie up.

When he gets to his desk, he sees his batphone message light is on. Playing the message he hears the voice of his friend Jim Gordon checking in on him. Gordon's concern is clear in his voice. Kicking himself for not being better prepared, Bruce sends a text to his friend letting him know "Bats are hard to kill. See you in a day or two." Bruce then gets to work on a cover story for Chloe. Far too many people know about her death for the usual list of easy explanations to cover. He needs a better story to answer any questions. He researches a rare form of coma which has been mistaken for death. This gives him a good foundation to work with. He next modifies the coffin so that is it no longer airtight. The poor traumatized morgue employee is lucky enough to win a lottery he didn't remember buying a ticket for. The hospital receives a Wayne Foundation donation. And a thousand little details latter, he has a plausible story worked up about how poor Chloe Sullivan had a violent reaction to a wasp sting which put her in the deathlike comma. Thankfully, an autopsy hadn't been performed before she woke up.

Alone in her room curled into a tight ball on her bed, Chloe cries. She tried to be like Bruce and keep her emotions under control but she just can't. She died! She is a meteor freak! It is hard to say which is worse.

Several hours later, Bruce makes his way to Chloe's room to check on her. He finds her still crying and immediately kicks himself for leaving her alone. He crosses the room and scoops her into his arms. He kisses her on the forehead while holding her tightly. He doesn't let go till she has cried herself out. He then gently lays her back on her pillow, brushes her hair out of her face and reassures her "No one knows how long they get. This changes nothing between us."

"You don't understand. I spent years facing the meteor infected of Smallville. In all those years not one of them managed to stay sane. They all went crazy. They all turned evil." she sobs

"You are not just anyone, Chloe Sullivan." he tries to assure her.

"But even my mom went crazy from her power." she weeps.

"I know you. You are a good person. I trust you with my life and always will." Bruce states firmly.

"Please don't promise that. Always is a long time. Things change." she replies. "If it does, promise me you won't let me hurt anyone." she pleads.

He doesn't know if his heart will let him but he promises her anyway. If that day comes, they can die together.

Changing the subject, Chloe says "I just realized I haven't eaten in forever and now I am starving."

"What do you want? I will get whatever it is from the kitchen." Bruce swears.

"Why don't we go out?" Chloe replies.

Clark smiles as he reads the head line of the Gotham Times: _Not Even Death Can Stop True Love_. The story continues about how poor Ms. Sullivan suffered a freak reaction to wasp sting and was mistakenly declared dead. Luckily, she has recovered without any ill effects.

"Smallville, what are you grinning about? Is that the competition?" Lois inquires as she snatches the paper away from him. Scanning the article she is stunned and angered that Chloe didn't call her. The poor girl must be totally freaked. "Tell Perry he just got his Christmas present early." she tells Clark as she heads to the elevators.

"Chief, Lois has a message for you but I don't know what it means." Clark mumbles in his humble bumbling way.

Perry smiles. Lois is always playing poor Clark. The boy needs to wake up and show some backbone. "Well, spit it out." he replies in his gruff but fatherly way.

"She said you are getting your Christmas present early. That mean anything to you?" Clark says.

"Yes, Yes it does. Thanks Clark. Now get back to work." Perry says with a big smile. He had been after Lois to go to Gotham and check into this Batman character. He is big national news ever since he killed a foreign dignitary who everyone knows was an assassin for hire. The whole country is talking about vigilantes now. He doesn't know or care what got Lois to change her mind about chasing this story; he is just focused on his headline.

Clark's phone rings but he doesn't recognize the number. "Hello, This is Clark Kent." he answers tentatively.

"Clark, its Bruce Wayne. I need a favor for Chloe." Bruce explains.

Eager to help, Clark grabs a pad to make notes on the request as he replies "Sure, anything for Chloe."

"Her doctor thinks she may be infected with Kryptonite but she cannot devise a treatment without a sample. Can you get one to my mansion as soon as possible? I can have a jet waiting for you at the airport in an hour."

"That won't be necessary. I have a faster way to get it there. See you in a few minutes." Clark replies.

"Oh right, Bart. Thanks, Clark." Bruce replies before hanging up.

Clark is concerned by Bruce's comment about Bart. He should talk to Chloe about what Bruce knows. He trusts her judgment so if she told him about the group she would have a good reason. Still being cautious and secretive is a part of him now. On the run to the farm, he calls Oliver but only gets voicemail. He leaves a message asking Oliver to call him back.

It only takes a couple of seconds to get back to the farm but it takes several minutes to don the lead suit he worked up to protect him while handling Kryptonite. He opens the lead safe where he has been storing all the rocks he finds. He places a large chunk into a lead box, reseals the safe, stores his suit and then races to Gotham.

Jason has only been the butler for a few months but he has known about the unusual side of Bruce's life a lot longer. In fact, Bruce's alter ego is the only reason he is alive today. Because of this experience he is not surprised when a young man appears out of thin air with a delivery for Bruce. Jason escorts the young man to Bruce's study to wait for Bruce.

"Clark. Thanks for coming so quickly." Bruce says with a smirk. "_Wow. Metropolis to Gotham in less than ½ hour. Very impressive"._

"Here is the item you wanted." Clark says as he hands over the lead box. As Bruce starts to open it, Clark says "Please don't. I am allergic to the meteor rocks."

Bruce nods and refrains from open the box. Bruce offers "Chloe is sleeping upstairs but you are welcome to wait."

"Thank you. I would like to speak with her but I don't know if she is ready. I can only imagine what she has been through. Did she tell you about the meteor infected from Smallville?" Clark says

"She did. She is really scared Clark. I haven't seen this side of her. She is always so fearless." Bruce comments as he sits in a high back black leather chair and motions for Clark to sit opposite him.

"I know. She used to drive me crazy with all the risks she would take." Clark says with a small smile. "Look Bruce. I really want her to be happy and if that means you, I will support that. I just want to be part of her world again. She is very important to me and always will be." Clark explains as he sits on the edge of the other high back chair.

Always ready to jump into action Bruce notes by the way Clark is sitting. "_He can't even fake relaxing for a few moments. He really needs to hide his feelings better. He will end up giving himself away. Perhaps, I should offer some tips? I will check with Chloe_." he thinks, while saying out loud "She is very important to me too. Any friend of hers is a friend of mine." His casual easy posture reveals nothing about the steel lurking beneath his daytime exterior.

Stretching as she wakes, Chloe slips out of bed and goes to look for Bruce. Normally, she would get dressed before going downstairs but for what she has in mind they would just be taking their clothes off again so why bother. She hears Bruce in his study. Believing he is on the phone, she decides to tease him. She puts her naked leg into the door and glides it up and down as she saw in a movie once. She then slips into the room with only the bed sheet around her. Unfortunately, in her shock of seeing Clark talking to Bruce, she drops the sheet and then hurriedly picks it back up. Turning a very bright red, she runs back upstairs. "_Oh my god, Clark saw me naked! Bruce and Clark were talking? What is he doing here in Gotham?" _she wonders

Bruce sees Chloe's leg and frantically tries to think of a way to avoid the embarrassing situation he knows is coming. Unfortunately, her perfectly smooth skin covering her perfectly toned leg prevents him from doing more than stare longingly.

Clark notices Bruce looking at something behind him and turns expecting to see Chloe. He was not expecting to see all of Chloe. Covering his eyes, he nearly shouts "Chloe." "_Wow, she certain has gotten into shape. Don't think that! She is your friend." _A good friend to have his libido suggests.

Bruce has to chuckle because Chloe and Clark are both beat red. Clark glares at him so Bruce comments "I am sorry but the look on each of your faces was far too priceless. I didn't realize you hadn't slept together. The way she goes on and on about you I just assumed you were lovers like we are."

"Um, well, that, I, we, um no" Clark stammers. "She lost weight? Never mind." Clark continues. "_She talks about me constantly?" _

"You are a Boy Scout aren't you. Most men wouldn't have been able to help themselves from taking in the sight of her magnificent body but you blushed and covered your eyes. I think we will get along just fine." Bruce says as he claps a still struggle Clark on the shoulder. "_He is solid as well. Not even Bane was this solid. So are you a member of Oliver's little group too?"_

Several deep breathes and a shot of something next to the bed, Chloe has recovered enough to dress and make her way downstairs. She finds Bruce and Clark still talking in the study but they are now by the window. From what she overhears, Bruce is describing the grounds to Clark.

"Clark, good to see you." Chloe says as she realizes that was probably a poor choice of words. "_Why do I feel so awkward around him?" _she thinks, frustrated.


	9. Chapter 9

Part IX

Lois calls Chloe as she finishes stuffing her clothes into her travel worn suitcase. She doesn't want to give Chloe too much warning, so Chloe won't be able to avoid her. Lois hadn't realized how little she and Chloe had talked since her move to Gotham. She feels a far amount of guilt for letting herself get so wrapped up in her work that she didn't keep in touch. Chloe had called her when she first moved to Gotham, but Lois wasn't very good about calling her back. For once, the story will take a back seat as Lois is determined to repair her relationship with Chloe. Batman will just have to wait.

Chloe is surprised to see Lois had called her. She hadn't looked at her cell phone in a long time. Since she had her bat communicator, which is disguised as an ordinary cell phone, she didn't even bother to carry her own cell much anymore. She feels a pang of guilt that she had let everyone in her life before Gotham slip away. First, she needed space and then the whole Batman thing happened. She has spent the last several months just playing catch up. At least, she honored her promise to call Clark. Neither mentioned the awkward moments at the manor and he even made her feel better because he is convinced she will be just fine. While Bruce's support is wonderful, there is just something about Clark's that convinces her she will be fine. She makes a mental list of people to touch base with. She needs to learn from Bruce how he manages to maintain all his relationships while being Batman.

"Hey Oliver, its Chloe. I know it has been too long but I have been, well, busy. (listens to reply) Actually, yes saving the world or at least Gotham busy. That is part of the reason I am calling. Batman implied you gave me a good reference. Did you? (listens to Ollie's reply) Oh you don't know who Batman is. Well, he knows who you are and all about your little club. He used that to rope me into helping him. (listens to reply) No, I don't mind. As much as I hate to admit it, I love this world we live in. He isn't as much fun as you though. (Oliver interrupts her) No, I won't tell you who he is. I will ask him to meet with you. I think if you guys combined your efforts the world would be a much better place. You could use a lot of the tech he has developed. His body armor alone would save you many trips to the ER. (Oliver replies) Ok, I will call you if I can get something set up." Chloe finishes and hangs up. She knows Oliver will be looking very closely at Batman, but she isn't concerned. For one thing, Bruce is much better at hiding his identity than Oliver is.

Lois finds a limo waiting for her when she gets off the plane. The driver has a note for Lois from Chloe which reads "Sorry I can't meet you. Work project going to hell. Get settled in the mansion and I will meet up with you as soon as possible." Snorting Lois climbs into the car. Even her cynical nature is challenged by the impressive sight of Wayne Manor. The butler who opens the door introduces himself as Jason Bard. He is a handsome twenty something but he lacks the airs of dignity traditional butlers are known for. Still, he helps her with her bags and does a wonderful job of making her at ease in her spacious guest room.

To whittle the hours till Chloe arrives, she opens her laptop and starts researching Batman. She is intrigued to find that recently he has been seen with a partner. The rumors she manages to track down from online blogs can't decide if this partner is a new Robin or the return of Batgirl. Either way, the whole city is a buzz with the news that Batman has killed. Apparently, he has been implicated in deaths before, but this is the first time there is official confirmation. One Detective Bullock leaked that the police have evidence that Batman was involved in the death of Bane. Commissioner Gordon has firmly refused to comment, but many take the fact that Bullock has been suspend as proof that what he said was true. This has divided the city with some claiming that thugs like Bane deserve to die and others saying this makes Batman no better than the scum he is fighting. "_Don't worry Gotham. I will find the truth. You will just have to read about it in the Planet." _she thinks as she smiles to herself.

So wrapped in her research that she doesn't even hear Chloe enter her room until Chloe says "Hey Lois." which causes her to jump.

"Sorry Lois I didn't mean to startle you." while smirking to herself, Chloe is pleased her stealth skills are up to sneaking up on Lois. She owes Lois for more than one scare from when they were kids. Lois used the military training her dad passed on to her to make Chloe's life very jumpy which Lois found all too amusing. "Sorry again for not being able to met you, but you know how work can take over your life." Chloe tells Lois.

"_Ouch. She must be sore at me to jab out like that._" Out loud, she says "No big, cous. You just have to show me around town to make it up to me."

Chloe catches Lois' wince at her comment and realizes that Lois thinks she is mad at her. She wonders if she would have caught that look before all her training. She doesn't remember being able to read Lois this easily. "Sure. I know some great places to go shopping." she says in way of a peace offering.

Chloe volunteering to go shopping confuses Lois for a moment. "_Does Chloe think I am mad at her?"_ "Ok. Let's roll." she answers.

After several hours of shopping at some of Gotham's most exclusive stores, they find themselves enjoying coffee after a very satisfying meal at a little dive place downtown. The limo outside stands out in this neighborhood, but Chloe doesn't seem to even notice. She has changed a lot, Lois realizes.

"The good life agrees with you cous." She banters while leaning back in her side of the booth.

Chloe smiles. Today has been nice. She and Lois seem to have slipped back into their old pattern fairly easy. However, she knows that Lois didn't come to Gotham just to see her so she gets to the point "Look Lois it has been great catching up and I promise to be better about staying in touch but we both know Perry didn't let you come all this way for just little old me."

Lois weighs Chloe's comment for a moment. Deciding her cousin is not mad at her and is saying it is ok to get onto her story, she leans forward as she replies "I came here because I regret not talking to you more. I know I haven't been the best cousin lately. I do get too wrapped up in my stories, as I drag poor Clark all around Metropolis. I promise to try and be better. Having said that, you are right Perry has been on me for awhile now to look into the Batman. I don't suppose you know who he is? He did rescue that one time after all. Any clues you can pass on to your dear cousin?"

She prepared herself to address the Batman issue but Lois asking out right catches her off guard. Her slip cause her to pause for just a fraction of a second before replying "Nope, sorry." She hopes Lois didn't notice.

"_Did Chloe just lie to me?_" Lois wonders. "_No, she must just be mad because she thinks I only hung out with her to pump her for information. Wow, I am becoming so jaded I think everyone is holding out on me. Maybe it is time for a vacation._" "Hey, Chloe. I really did come to see you. The Batman story is just a way to get Perry to pay for the trip." Lois tries to reassure her.

Chloe is touched that Lois held off on her story to spend time with her. For Lois not to be chasing a story is like an addict not wanting their drugs. "It is ok, Lois. I used to be a reporter too, remember. You can't help it. It is in your blood." Chloe replies. "By the way, I put this together when I got your message. I bent the rules a bit by using Wayne Technologies databases, but I know the owner so I am sure he will forgive me." she says with her trademark smirk as she slides a fat folder across to Lois.

Lois opens it to see detailed information on all the reports on Batman. She is so relieved because this means Chloe really does forgive her. "This is awesome. Thanks." Lois replies as she digs though the file. Chloe found way more than her own research had revealed. She even included the names and contact information of some of the people Batman saved.

"So what was he like it?" Lois just has to ask.

This time Chloe doesn't pause as she answers "I don't really know what to say. While he did save my life, he said nothing to me. He just lowered me to the sidewalk like a well dressed side of beef and then swung away. Penguin was surprisingly charming."

Feeling a bit guilty for not even knowing about that situation till she started her research into Batman she changes the subject. "_It is not entirely my fault I was in the Middle East when it happened"._ "Well, what do you want to do now?" she asks. Still, she wishes Chloe had called her. She makes a mental note to smack Smallville for not telling her when she gets back to the Planet.

Stretching dramatically, Chloe suggests "If you don't mind, I was thinking of going back to the mansion. It has been a long day." "_And it will be a long night" _she knows Lois is dying to go through the folder she provided so this is a win, win for them. Chloe can "go to bed" and Lois can start her research.

Giving her patented raised eyebrow Lois comments "Something tells me it is the billionaire in the bed more than the bed itself you are eager to get back too."

Chloe blushes slightly as she replies "Well, it is a very good bed." They share a laugh.

"You are not getting off that easy cousin. I will get you to spill the beans on Mr. Wayne." Lois remarks.

"Well, Bruce should be back from his trip tomorrow night so you can join us for dinner. Sound like a good plan?" she suggests.

On the ride back to the mansion, Lois tries to make small talk even though she would prefer to be going over the file in her bag. "So what do you do at Wayne Technologies anyway?" Lois asks as she just realized she has no idea.

"Well, most of it is top secret, but generally it is just research. I really like it. I am still hunting down clues and putting pieces together. Lucius is a great boss. I have learned a lot from him." Chloe cheerfully replies.

Later that night, Chloe watches on her monitors as Lois sneaks out of the mansion. She knew Lois couldn't resist a bit of leg work. Too bad for her, Batman is out of town. She checks the signal from the tracking device she planted on Lois making sure the signal is still strong. Sighing because she knows her cousin always manages to find trouble; she dons her armor and climbs into the mobile command center. She orders the autopilot to take them out.

Lois feels a bit guilty at sneaking out but she does have a story to get. Chloe made it clear at dinner she understands. The cab she ordered is waiting down the street right where it is supposed to be. She climbs in and gives the driver an address.

"Look lady, I don't go there during the day. There is no way I am going there at this time of night. I can take you to the bridge leading to the Narrows if you really are that crazy but it will cost extra." the driver tells her.

"Fine." Lois grumbles as she hands him another $20.

As she makes her way across the bridge she starts to reconsider her course of action. I mean doing the whole damsel in distress thing seemed like a good idea but now that she is actually here witnessing the desperation in the eyes around her she is reconsidering.

"Well, well. What do we have here boys." Lois hears come from an alley she just walked past. She looks over her shoulder to see a half dozen thugs exiting the alley and closing with her. She tries to pretend she doesn't see them while increasing her walking speed. She knows if she flat out runs they will attack her so she is trying to bluff them into thinking she belongs her.

Just as one of the thugs is about to grab her, she spins around. "You really don't want to get in my way. You don't think someone like me is out here at this time of night if I did not take precautions. My boss will make you beg for your death long before he lets you die so just step back." She then turns back around and continues on her way. Much to her relief the thugs have stopped following her. She pats herself on her back for her clever bluff and never notices the shadowy figure that really scared the goons away.

Chloe chuckles to herself at Lois' bravado. She must have poor Clark running all over Metropolis trying to keep her out of trouble. She fires her batarang and swings ahead of Lois to make sure there is no real trouble waiting.

Lois is getting increasingly frustrated. She has been wandering around the Narrows for over two hours now and not one hint of Batman. She suspects he is near because she has not seen anyone since those goons. She just has to figure out how to make him show himself.

Chloe is having great fun playing guardian to Lois. She has witnessed Lois getting more and more frustrated. It is nice that Bruce has such a reputation that simply exposing herself scares the small fish away. She does wish Lois would call it a night because she is missing her bed at the moment. She will have to make Bruce tell her how he functions on as little sleep as he does.

Chloe is relieved when Lois makes her way out of the Narrows. Lois looks as tired as she feels. As Lois is standing on the curb trying to flag a cab, Chloe sees her trip and fall into the road. "_There is no way that truck will be able to stop in time"_ she realizes as she swings down and grabs Lois.

Lois is really annoyed that tonight has been such a bust. She doesn't even want to look at the mess she made of her favorite low pumps. As she reluctantly lifts one leg to scrap some of Gotham's underbelly off her shoe, she loses her balance and falls forward. She lands hard on the road while watching the contents of her purse roll around. She feels the headlights before she really sees them.

Suddenly, she finds herself being lifted into the air with a strong but surprisingly small arm wrapped around her. "Not the best way to ask for an interview, Ms. Lane." the figure holding her says.

Looking at her rescuer she can see Batman is actually a woman. _So is there two of them or has Batman always been Batwoman?_ "Thanks for the save. Ruined my favorite pumps looking to talk to you so the least you can do is give me an exclusive." she snarks with her trademark full face smile.

Chloe knows Bruce will be mad at her damaging the Dark Knight image but she just has to laugh at that comment. "_Leave it to Lois to try and guilt the superhero who just saved her life into an interview. I guess that is why she is such a great reporter."_ Chloe swings them onto a nearby hotel rooftop. Deciding to have some fun with her and throw her for a loop, Chloe replies "I think we should get to know each other a bit more before I let in you in the mask." in an flirty tone.

Lois misses a step. _Did she just flirt with me?_ Lois' brain scrambles on how to answer. Focus on getting the story. "Well, what do you do to pass the time when you are not saving reporters?" she asks.

Chloe decides she is not done messing with Lois yet so she replies "I didn't know you were a reporter. I just saw a beautiful lady who needed a lift." as she adds a very friendly grin to the mix. She places her arm on Lois'. She is dying to laugh at seeing how uncomfortable Lois is.

"_She is flirting. What do I do now? I mean people should do what makes them happy. It is just not my thing. Still, imagine the story you could get. (mentally slaps herself) Don't ever think of using someone like that just to get the story again. You are better than that._" To Batwoman, she replies "My boyfriend, Clark, told me you were just an urban legend. Any comment?"

Chloe smiles impressed at Lois' maneuvering. Although she is momentarily thrown when Lois names Clark as her boyfriend. She will have to look into that because she is surprised it stings a bit. She decides she has earned a sound bite so she replies "The criminals of Gotham know I am real and that is all that matters. Now, Ms. Lane I have more reporters to save so try to stay out of trouble. The elevator will take you to the lobby where you can safely hail a cab. Good night." She then runs and dramatically dives off the roof. Her cape opens into its glider mode and she floats away. There is a small flash behind as Lois must have snapped a picture. Boy she will be pissed when she sees how blurred the picture turns out. That energy field Lucius devised to prevent video cameras from catching them is true genius. Any picture or video taken of them comes out so blurred that you can't make out any details. This adds to the Batman mystery while helping to protect their identities.

Chloe finishes her sweep of the Gotham and heads home. She showers in the truck to save time. She is looking forward to crawling into her bed but she has the feeling Lois will want to talk to her about her adventure. In the cave, she puts on a robe and ruffles her hair to look like she had been sleeping. She then makes her way to Den to pretend she has been her reading the whole time.

Sure enough Lois pokes her head in the room a few minutes later. "There you are. This place is a maze. I could have sworn I checked here earlier." she says as she comes in and sits next to Chloe.

"What is up, Lois?" Chloe inquires knowing full well the answer.

"Well, I met him or I mean her. There is definitely a Batwoman. I don't know if she has a partner. She didn't mention one. Oh, I think she is gay because she was definitely flirting with me." Lois excitedly babbles.

"Why is it every superhero you meet flirts with you? Are you sure you are not just reading things that aren't there?" Chloe teases.

"Hey, I can't help it if the tights have a weakness for the great Lois Lane." Lois snarks back.

Laughing Chloe replies "You are one of a kind. No doubt about that."

Chloe's big grin makes Lois suspicious of her sincerity so she quips back "You are just jealous." She puts on her pretend pout face.

"Oh, you got me. I am just settling for my billionaire boyfriend till Batman or Batwoman comes to their senses and sweeps me off my feet." she snarks back. God she missed these exchanges with Lois even if it is 4 AM.

"It is good to hang out again." Lois says suddenly serious.

"It is but I would prefer we do it more during the daylight hours." Chloe replies as she squeezes her cousin's hand.

"Oh I am sorry. I am so used to the late nights. I don't even notice them anymore. Perry doesn't bother to look for me till afternoon so it works well." Lois explains. "But why are you up?" she asks.

"The trouble with billionaire boyfriends is they keep all sort of strange hours which has played havoc with my sleep schedule. If he wasn't so wonderful, I would've killed him. You no how much I treasure my sleep." Chloe replies.

"I do remember. Hopefully, Bruce keeps the coffee well stocked because you are just plain evil till your second cup." Lois playfully quips.

"He has coffee I have never even heard of. Can you believe it? Coffee the queen of coffee has never heard of." Chloe quips back with a small laugh.

"Well, why don't we both try to get some sleep and finish our talk in the morning?" Lois suggests.

Yawning, Chloe agrees "Great idea." and they both head to bed.

Chloe is the only one who sleeps as Lois spends her time typing up her notes on her encounter with Batwoman. Analyzing what she has learned, Lois realizes she is no closer to even having a description of Batwoman much less a clue who she is. The picture she snapped with her digital camera is so blurry it could be Bigfoot. Batwoman must use some sort of voice scrambler like Oliver did because there is no way her voice could be that masculine and gravely naturally so no help there. Also, her costume could easily change her height by a few inches. Frustrated Lois takes what little she does know and tries to turn it into a story but there are just not enough facts to make a legit story. Her days of writing tabloid headlines are long behind her. Her stories are all firmly based on facts. The question is how to get some more.


	10. Chapter 10

Part X

Chloe is so glad Bruce is back that she decides to overlook the bandaged ribs. "_He promised he would take care of himself."_ she thought. She gently hugs him, and then not so gently kisses him. She brings him up to date on Lois' encounter with Batwoman, which surprisingly, he doesn't comment on.

Dinner that night is rocky as Bruce maintains his playboy persona by checking every girl in the room out and even going so far as to flirt with Lois right in front of Chloe. Chloe who is used to this doesn't even notice, but Lois is fuming mad. She nearly causes a scene, before Chloe takes her to the ladies room.

"Why do you put up with all his nonsense?" Lois practically shouts at Chloe. She paces back and forth making violent gestures with her hands as she envisions doing all sorts of things to that jerk Bruce Wayne.

"Calm down, Lois. I know who Bruce is and I am ok with it." Chloe replies. _What on Earth can I say that will convince her I haven't lost my mind?_

"Calm down! How can you say that! He was hitting on me right in front of you!" she fires back.

Taking a deep breath, Chloe comes back with "He was just being friendly. He is harmless."

"And when he rubbed his leg on mine? There is no doubt about it. He is a louse. You deserve better." Lois tells her.

"_Rubbed her leg did he? That is a going a bit far"._ She files that away to discuss later. "Lois, to be honest after Clark and Jimmy I am enjoying a less intense relationship. I know how Bruce spends his nights and I am ok with it." she tries to explain to Lois.

"It is your life cous, but I don't like him." Lois says. "_This is all Smallville's fault he broke her heart and she rebounded into this loser."_

"Can we just have a pleasant diner?" Chloe implores her.

"Fine. I won't pop him one, but I reserve the right too." Lois quips.

Later after Lois has left on another Bat hunting mission, Chloe and Bruce share a good laugh together. Although Chloe does mention "Rubbing her leg where you? Are you trying to get me to fight for you?"

"I just love to see you in action." he replies with all his charm.

"Oh, you do, do you." she replies as she jumps into his arms.

Dirty, tired, and smelling awful, Lois makes her way back into the mansion after another fruitless night of searching for Batman. Thanks to Chloe's help, she has amassed an impressive collection of eyewitness accounts but none of what she has found gives her any more clues to the identity of Batwoman. As she makes her way to her bedroom, she gets lost once again. You would think after two weeks she could find her way around but sadly that is not the case. Not wanting to wake anyone, she follows a light she can see. As she gets closer, she blushes as she realizes what Chloe and Bruce are up to this late at night. "_He may be a louse but it sounds like he knows what he is doing_." She slips away quietly not wanting to disturb them. She stumbles onto several rooms of armor and weapons before finding a hallway she does recognize. Gratefully, she enters her room and heads for the shower.

Chloe feels for Lois. It has been 3 weeks since Lois meet Batwoman and she hasn't seen her since. She knows protecting their identities is important but it doesn't stop her from feeling bad about keeping it secret. She had thought getting away from Clark would have saved her from having to lie to her friends all the time.

Lois has grown more and more concerned about Chloe. She seems to withdraw more and more. Chloe has trouble meeting her eyes. There is definitely something she is not sharing and Lois is convinced it has to do with that heel Bruce Wayne. He is rarely around and when he is, they disappear into his rooms. She thinks his rooms, because she has no doubt he doesn't view Chloe as having any rights to any of this. Sure, he lets her spend some of his money, but Chloe being Chloe spends less in one month than he does in one day. The jerk can't seem to keep his eyes in his head either. "_Why does she put up with him?"_

As Chloe limps upstairs, she kicks herself for missing that jump. She has been doing this long enough to know better. It was just pure luck she didn't break her neck when she face planted into the fire escape after tripping on that pipe she missed on the previous rooftop. She did manage to recover enough to open her cape to save her life but she landed hard and wrong. Her ankle is definitely twisted and she will have one heck of a shiner in the morning. She is glad Bruce didn't see her in action tonight as it would have meant confinement to the cave and more long grueling hours of training. Jason is kind enough to help get in bed after bandaging her up. He is no Alfred, but he is a good soul. More importantly, he stays out of her and Bruce's disagreements so she knows he won't be running to Bruce with this.

As Lois sneaks in after one more Bat hunt, she sees Jason heading for the kitchen carrying a tray. It has bandages and blood covered rags on it. All the pieces suddenly click into place as she races to Chloe's and Bruce's room. Throwing open the door, her fears are confirmed as she sees Chloe's swollen and batter face. "That son of bitch!" she shouts and storms back down stairs.

"_Uh oh_" Chloe thinks as she struggles to hobble after her cousin. "Lois." she shouts futilely.

Bruce is walking in from the garage having just returned from another trip out of town when Lois runs up and tries to punch him. Instinctively, he catches her punch and turns her away from him. She spins around, shouts "You son of a bitch!" as she takes another swipe at him.

He has no idea why she is so angry so he traps her arms behind her and pins her. "Calm down, Lois. What is going on?" he demands.

"So hitting women is what does it for you? You sick bastard I am so going to kick your ass." she says as she struggles in his grip. He is impressed she almost manages to get free. He looks up at the sound of Chloe walking into the room. Her footsteps sound wrong and when he sees her he knows why. Her left ankle is bandaged and her face is badly swollen. Distracted by the sight of her, he loses his hold on Lois.

"Lois, it is not what you think." Chloe says but Lois is fighting mad and ignores her.

Free of Bruce's hold she savagely kicks for his groin but he surprises her by using his legs to block and trap her leg. She doesn't let this stop her and she is pleased to feel her fist connect with his chin. _Ouch! What is he made of?_

Bruce sees her punch coming and decides it may help things if she lands it. He rides the blow so it doesn't hurt, but one of her rings draws blood. He releases her leg and steps back with his hands held out wide. "I swear I didn't lay a hand on her." he declares.

"So she just fell down the stairs. Bullshit! You may have money but you have never tangled with me. I will wipe the floor with you mister!" Lois promises.

"LOIS!!!" Chloe shouts to get her attention. "He didn't touch me. What happened was all my fault. There are caves on the estate where we go climbing. Well, I was climbing one section, yes the one you begged me not to till I had more experience, and I slipped. I smacked my face on the way down and when I landed my poor ankle gave out. To be honest, I was lucky I didn't break my fool neck. Jason was kind enough to bandage me up and help me to bed even though he wasn't happy I refused to see a doctor." Chloe explains.

"You don't have to lie for him. We can leave right now." Lois tells her still not believing her story. "I know you have been keeping this from me but you don't have to. You didn't do anything wrong." she continues.

"_Crap, I should have figured she would have noticed something after spending so much time together lately."_ Thinking quickly, she replies "Lois, I have been keeping something from you and from Bruce." She looks down not able to meet their eyes which they both recognize as her guilty face. "I am sorry Bruce, but I needed to figure this out before I said anything. Lois, you see when you told me you are dating Clark it hurt more than it should have. I mean, Bruce, you are so wonderful, and I really thought I was over Clark. I know it is not fair to either of you, but I can't help what I am feeling. That is why I have been distant. I am sorry." Chloe stammers in her 'please forgive me' ramble. She is pleased to see Lois' expression change as she moves to hug Chloe but the hurt in Bruce's eyes drives a knife into her. He knows there was some truth in what she told Lois.

"Excuse, Ms. Sullivan. I did find your phone but it didn't fair as well as you from the fall. You really should see a doctor. Perhaps, you can convince her now that you are home, sir." Jason says as he presents the broken pieces of her cell phone on a tray. "I took the liberty of storing your climbing gear in the usual place." he finishes. Her pain is eased as she sees the approving look Bruce gives her for covering all her bases.

Lois turns bright red as she turns to apologize to Bruce. "Sorry for going all physco on you." she says sheepishly.

"Please don't. I certain hope you would "kick my ass" if I ever hurt your cousin. She is truly special." he replies. He hopes she knows just how special.

"You got that right. Nice moves by the way." she comments with her arm still around Chloe holding her close in a supportive embrace.

"A man in my position is often a target and since I hated tripping over bodyguards I was left with no choice but to learn to take care of myself. You clearly have had training yourself. I was assured there was no way to break the hold I had on you." he replies stroking Lois' ego to soothe her embarrassment.

"Military brat. I was fighting almost as soon as I was walking." Lois boasts proudly. Turning her face to Chloe, she says "You could have talked to me. Besides I was exaggerating when I said Clark is my boyfriend. That was more to get Batwoman to back off. I mean can you really see me and Smallville together. No thank you." she says but the look in her eye makes Chloe think the lady does protest too much.

"Well, now that is settled I am going to limp my way back to bed and sleep till at least noon." Chloe says.

"No need for you to limp." Bruce says as he scoops her into his arms and lovingly carries her upstairs. Chloe smiles and waves goodnight to Lois over his shoulder.

Watching them go, Lois has to wonder how she could ever think he would hurt her. Besides, Chloe would never take such nonsense for anyone. "_God, you are getting way to cynical."_

Lois makes her way back to her own rooms for a quick shower and then to see if she can out sleep Chloe. It has been a long week and she deserves a break even if Perry doesn't.

In their room, Bruce lowers her onto their bed and despite her suggestive eyes he gets back up. There are things they need to discuss. He checks the door lock and turns on the white noise generator hidden in the wall. He wants to ensure Lois doesn't hear something she shouldn't.

Chloe knowing what Bruce wants to talk about switches the topic to Lois. "Bruce, she is under enormous pressure. If she doesn't get something for Perry soon she will be in trouble." Chloe explains to Bruce.

"Batman is not a sideshow. She will just have to deal." Bruce replies in his "this conversation is over and yes, I am way more stubborn than you are" voice.

"How about just a quick cryptic word or two?" Chloe suggests as she suggestively bats her eyes at him. Her lips pucker invitingly and she has allowed her robe to slip suggestively.

"I will think about it. And while you are truly a lovely woman whose arms I would love to have around me, don't think you can avoid explaining what really happened tonight." Bruce replies in his teacher mode.

Chloe knowing there is no point in trying to dodge the issue any more admits "I made a rookie mistake. I tripped and fell off a roof. It was a stupid mistake. So how long am I confined to the cave?"

"Your ankle will take 3 days to heal properly so wait that long." Bruce replies much to her surprise.

"What no 6 months of retraining? No lecture?" she asks.

"You admitted you made a mistake. You won't make it again. There is nothing else to talk about." Bruce says as he climbs into bed with her. He rolls over her. Holding himself above her as he gently brushes her lips with his own. No more words are needed this night.

Toni Maroni stands once again at a secluded private airport waiting for what is his last hope. The other families have been making mince meat out of his organization and he knows the Bat is close to figuring out who hired Bane. He paces nervously while trying to watch every where at once. He only has two men with him. They are the only two he even remotely trusts but they are far from his best.

Finally, the private jet pulls to a stop and the black garbed figure steps off the plane. He wastes no time looking around. He walks confidently to Toni. "Don Corleone says hi and that you are even." he tells Toni.

"Thank you for coming. I have your money right her." Toni says as his hand shakes embarrassingly as he hands over the case. _Get a grip!_ he scolds himself

Taking the case and quickly opening it, Zeiss replies "Good doing business with you."

"Just get the Bat." Maroni replies doing his best to suppress his fear and frustration.

"Oh, one more thing. Black Mask says hi." Zeiss says as he draws and fires faster than Toni can follow. The first shot hits Toni's left eye and blows a large hole out the back of his head. The second tears through his chest ripping his heart to shreds as it passes through. His two goons are stunned to have their boss' brains and gore covering them. Zeiss looks at them and says "I am not getting paid to kill you so run." They do.

"No doubt about. This was a pro. Judging from what we have found so far, Toni was shot at close range by an unusual caliber bullet." He holds up the slug they dug out of the hanger behind where they found Toni's body. "What you make of it?" Officer Brady tells Commissioner Gordon.

"Zeiss" Gordon states recognizing the round. "_What is he doing in Gotham? It can't just be this hit. Toni was on his way down. Zeiss doesn't come cheap. He wouldn't come to Gotham for this_." Heading back to his headquarters, he makes his way to the roof and turns on the Batsignal. He knows it is a bit dramatic but he likes to remind the city Batman is out there.

Bruce sees the signal and alters his gliders path to take him to Police Headquarters roof. He lands behind Gordon as usual. It is just one of the many odd rituals they have developed over the years. "So Zeiss is in town." he states.

Gordon smiles before turning around. He should have known he didn't need to warn him. Batman is already on top of it. Still, they have their dance to do so he says "Yes and I think he is in town to see you. Everyone knew Toni was desperate and with the rumors he recruited Bane, it makes sense he would try to recruit someone else. What I don't understand is why Zeiss killed the man paying him?'

"Someone else paid him too." Batman replies. "Don't worry we will get him."

"I swear I don't know nothing! I swear! Please don't drop me!" pleads the thug hanging 20 stories over the Gotham River. From this height, hitting the water would be like hitting concrete.

"You aren't giving me any reason too." Batman points out as he lets the batline slip a bit between his fingers.

"Try Luke. Luke makes all sorts of custom ammo jobs. If anyone knows anything it will be him." the goon spills.

Smiling his dark grim smile, Batman says "Thanks" as he ties off the line leaving the thug to reconsider his life choices as he hangs upside down till someone finds him.

Zeiss knows he can't hide in Gotham long before Batman finds him. He needs to throw the Bat off his game if he has any chance of taking him down. Luckily, he has just the plan to do that.

As Bruce, Lois, and Chloe come out of the restaurant, they are laughing and chatting like the best of friends since Lois' earlier accusations have been forgotten. So engrossed it takes Bruce a minute to notice Zeiss hidden on the rooftop across the way. So long that the bullet is already on its way before Bruce can react. Unable to bear Chloe being hurt, he dives to knock her clear but she is faster as she moves to protect Lois. He sees the round strike near the base of her neck and her blood sprays across his face and chest.

Lois is at first unaware of why her cousin just shoved her to the ground but the blood pouring from Chloe makes her realize what happened. She moves towards her cousin but Bruce is already there trying to slow the flow of blood. Before Lois can even say anything, Bruce has scooped Chloe up and put her into their waiting car. The car screams down the street leaving Lois standing in the street covered in her cousin's blood.

Zeiss is pissed. He had that snoopy reporter in his sight and somehow the blonde managed to take the bullet. He was pleased to see the hit. There is no way the blonde will survive as he is certain he hit a major artery. He considers shooting the reporter once the car has sped away but holds off. Perhaps keeping her alive will be a better way to bait the Bat. He tags her with a tracer so he can easily keep tabs on her.

Bruce screams for Jason to drive faster as he holds Chloe's blood in as best he can. He takes a cigarette lighter from the door and burns her trying to cauterize the wound enough to control the bleeding. His efforts slow the bleeding but aren't enough to stop it. The mobile cave is already in route to meet them but Bruce has another idea. He orders Jason to head for Angela's office as he phones her.

When they pull up, she has a stretcher and trauma team waiting. They rush Chloe into the lab and get to work. Two long hours later, Angela approaches him. Her body language making it clear she does not have good news for him. She says "I am sorry Bruce; the damage to the artery is too extensive for modern medicine to repair. I had to put her in status which will only buy her 24 hrs at most."

Her words are like a hammer to his chest. His heart seizes in his chest. Through gritted teeth he begs "Isn't there anything you can do? What about her ability?"

"Her ability is not triggered by injury to her own body. For some reason, it only works when she absorbs another's pain. However, I have theory on how to boost her power. If my theory is correct it just may save her, but Bruce this is all guess work. I can't promise you anything." Angela tells him as she puts her arm on his shoulder.

"What do you need?" is all he says.

"I need more Kryptonite. As much as you can get. I think we give her a high enough dose, it will jump start her power." she explains.

"You will get it." he promises. His cold tone leaves no doubt in her mind why the criminals of Gotham fear him so.

"Clark, Chloe has been hurt to save her I need all the Kryptonite you can get your hands on." Bruce asks Clark via his cell phone.

A few minutes later, Clark appears lugging huge lead safe full of the rocks. "This is all I could find. Luthor Corp has collected most of the Kryptonite from Smallville." he tells Bruce.

Angela loads her equipment with the rocks and starts the process of refining the material into a powder she can mix with her formula while two very anxious men pace behind her. Once the mixture is ready, she injects it into Chloe's IV. Chloe immediately starts convulsing and fresh blood leaks from her neck. Bruce and Clark watch helplessly. A feeling neither is accustomed too.

Suddenly, Chloe starts to glow. A greenish hue forms around her heart and spreads through out her body. The glow becomes so intensive it blinds everyone and makes Clark feel ill even behind the room's lead shielding. The wound on Chloe's neck disappears and her breathing becomes more regular but she doesn't wake. Worse her skin takes on a greenish tinge. Not bright but enough to look odd and unhealthy.

"What is happening?" Bruce demands to know from Angela.

"I warned you this was very risky. According to my monitors her injuries have healed but as we can all see there are unexpected side effects. I can't say when she will wake but her brain activity is good. Her body may just need time to acclimate this level of Kryptonite in her system." Angela explains as kindly as she can.

"Oh, Chloe" Clark mutters.


	11. Chapter 11

Part XI

Zeiss is pleased he didn't just off this Lois Lane. He had no idea she was tight with Bruce Wayne. It was his latest girlfriend whom he shot and Bruce must have pulled some strings because the Bat has been hot on his tail ever since. His trap is ready and the Bat is heading straight for it. This is working out better than he hoped.

Bruce doesn't bother with the flunkies; he heads straight for the man himself. Black Mask is relaxing on the upper balcony making it all too easy for Bruce to get to him undetected. If Bruce was calmer, he would have realized this was too easy. "Where!" Bruce demands.

"My, he did strike a nerve. Interesting how something that has Bruce Wayne so upset also has the Bat worked up. Very interesting." the Black Mask comments.

Not in the mood for games, Bruce surprises the Black Mask by wrapping a grappling cable around him and then jumping off the balcony. The cable pulls Black Mask off the balcony behind him. In spite of himself, Black Mask screams. He expected Batman to rough him up a bit or maybe dangle him over the edge to get him to talk, but this is a lot more reckless. He is not so sure Zeiss' plan was a good idea after all.

Bruce grunts as he swings with the extra weight of Black Mask. He doesn't care that when he lands on a nearby rooftop, Black Mask slams into the side of the building. Bruce drags him up the side of the building so they are face to face again. "Where." he demands again.

Black Mask sees madness in Batman's eyes. Suddenly, the rumors of him killing Bane don't seem so far fetched. Black Mask realizes he has made a major mistake in underestimating Batman. He was convinced the Bat wouldn't kill. Now, he knows better.

The seconds it takes him to think all this are longer than Batman is willing to wait for an answer. He drops him again, allowing him to slam once more into the building. He drags him back up. "Where!" he growls.

Black Mask didn't think he could feel fear but he was wrong. This Batman is everything the legends say and more. This Batman won't just kill him, he will make it take a long time. "Warehouse 36, Pier 5" he says as he silently prays that Zeiss really can kill the Bat. If Zeiss fails, he knows the Bat will be back for him. "_Perhaps, it is time to leave Gotham for a bit."_ he thinks as he hangs upside down from the side of the building.

Clark is mad as hell, he can't believe Bruce would put his business meetings before Chloe. Right now, he agrees with Lois that Bruce is not worthy of her affection. He is glad she bought his "we need Bruce alive so I should go" story. He didn't want to explain how being near Chloe made him sick. Jason lets Clark into the mansion but explains that Bruce is still out on his business. Clark insists on waiting. As the hours ticking by, Clark's frustration grows. Clark is convinced it was one of Bruce's enemies that took a shot at them. Since he doesn't know this city, he needs to talk to Bruce to figure out which.

To keep his sanity while waiting, Clark starts X-raying the mansion looking for clues. He finds Bruce has many secret rooms, safes, and electronics hidden through out the mansion. He is starting to get a bad feeling about what Bruce might be into when he sees the cave. There is a complex deep below the mansion's foundation. Unable to restrain his curiosity and concern any longer, he traces to where a door to the complex should be. There is one hidden right here in Bruce's study. Clark heads to the wall and looks for the opening mechanism but doesn't see one. Scanning the room again, he approaches the bust of Shakespeare and opens it. The button hidden inside, he suspects will open the door. Pushing the button confirms his suspicion when the hidden door opens. Before he can enter it, Jason runs into the room.

"I am sorry, Mr. Kent but I cannot allow you to enter there. That is a private area; it's off limits to guests." Jason informs Clark. He had signaled Bruce again, but still no response.

"You can't hide your master's secrets any longer. Those secrets put my best friend in a comma." Clark says as he starts to enter the corridor.

Jason rushes Clark and tries to tackle him, but Clark easily throws him off. Jason flies across the room and slams hard into the far wall. He slumps down, stunned by the impact. Clark feels momentary guilt, but shoves it aside and continues down the tunnel.

At the end of the tunnel, Clark finds himself speechless. "_Bruce is the Batman!?"_ his mind struggles to grasp. It does make a kind of sense when he compares Oliver's and Bruce's lives. Bruce's actions take on a whole new light. One more surprise greets Clark when he notices a Batsuit clearly made for a woman. "_Chloe is Batwoman!"_ It was bad enough the danger Oliver used to put her in but this he will have to talk to Bruce about. No wonder Chloe lies in a coma. And when she "died" it must have been because of this double life. _How could he put her in this much danger!_ Doing his best to control his anger, he starts to search for clues.

As Bruce drives to the warehouse ignoring all the attention the Batmobile is drawing by driving through downtown in the middle of the day, he calls Jason back. When he learns about Clark finding the cave, he adjusts his course to take him back to the cave. He left much of his research out and knows Clark is smart enough to follow it. He can't let Clark endanger himself or more importantly mess up Bruce's plans.

Clark is stunned by what he has found. There are hours of video of Chloe training. She is doing things he never imagined she was capable of. Some part of him knows he should get back to searching for clues but the rest of him is just in awe of her. "_What I fool I was for not seeing her right in front of me all those years._ "

His reminiscing is interrupted by the roar of the Batmobile's engine as it races into the cave. For a second, Clark thinks the car will not stop before it reaches the cliff edge of it's parking space but it does. He is even more amazed when the platform the car is on starts to rotate around.

Bruce leaps out of the car before it is even fully stopped. Clark is easy to spot standing dumb founded on the main computer platform. A video of one of Chloe's training sessions is playing on the main screen. "_She will be ok."_

"What the heck were you thinking dragging her into all of this!" Clark shouts as Bruce glides up next to him.

"First off: she chose this. Second: now is not the time for this. I know who shot Chloe and I am going after him. I know you are part of Oliver's little group and wouldn't stay put so the only thing to do is bring you with me. The rules are simple: tell me what your abilities are, do what I say, and remember he is mine. Undertand?" Bruce snaps back.

"Why should I listen to anything you have to say?" Clark replies with his arms crossed his chest.

"Fine. I will do it myself." Bruce says as he opens the small lead box he has kept with him for some time. Clark immediately collapses in pain. "Sorry, Clark but I have to stop him." Bruce says as he drags the weakened Clark into the Batsuit vault. He then shuts the massive door leaving the Kryptonite on the counter outside. "_Not even Bane could pound his way out of there._ "

As soon as the vault door closes, Clark starts to recover. The vault must have lead in its walls. He tries to use his x-ray vision to see if Bruce is still there but it fails to penetrate the walls confirming his suspicion that they are lined with lead. Wanting to avoid another direct confrontation, Clark decides to punch his way through the back of the vault. He is impressed at the durability of the vault as it takes him nearly 10 minutes to pound his way out. As soon as he breaches the rear wall, he feels the effects of the Kryptonite again but luckily it is far enough away from him that he can still walk. He heads to the tunnel the Batmobile used in the hopes of catching up to Bruce. It takes him a few minutes to get far enough away from the Kryptonite to be able to super speed. Fortunately by modifying his heat vision he can see the lingering heat trail of the Batmobile. He follows the path to a concealed exit hidden in what appears to be an abandon warehouse near the Gotham's docks.

Bruce sweeps the perimeter easily taking down the perimeter goons. As he looks into the main warehouse through a skylight, his survival instincts are screaming at him that this is a trap. In spite of this, Bruce decides to go in as he simply can't let anyone who hurt Chloe get away.

He smashes through the skylight and throws smoke and flash bombs to provide him some cover. He lands in goes into a roll using his momentum to carry him to one side of the warehouse. He scans the area for Zeiss and other threats but doesn't see any. His instincts are screaming for him to get out but he knows Zeiss is here. He made sure Black Mask wouldn't lie to him. There he sees the faint outline of a trapdoor. "_Figures he would live under ground."_ Bruce uses a Batarang to carefully expose the edges of the trapdoor and then open it. He heads down into darkness but his goggles built into his cowl easily compensate for the lack of light. The tunnel leads to a steel door. His instincts continue to scream trap, but he ignores them. Nothing will stop him. He plants a charge on the door and blows it open. He then jumps through into the room beyond. As soon as he lands, the room lights up bright as the sun and sound pounds into him from all sides. His gear helps protect him but it still disorients him for a moment which is long enough for Zeiss to throw the switch electrifying the floor.

Bruce's armor saves his life but he still falls convulsing on the floor. His armor's systems are overloaded. Grimly, he forces his twitching muscles to obey him as he sees Zeiss closing for the kill.

"I am impressed you came. Watching you on my monitors I was certain you realized this was a trap but you came anyway. Very impressive." Zeiss compliments him. Zeiss aims his pistol at Batman's head but before he can fire Bruce acts. A Batarang knocks the gun wide but his aim was off so Zeiss manages to hold onto the gun. That doesn't matter as Bruce's other arm had fired a grapple back into the tunnel pulling him out of the room. Zeiss gives chase firing as he does. Not all the rounds miss but none connect solid enough to pierce the armor. Bruce manages to swing himself up and out of the tunnel.

Zeiss is pleased. Batman is living up to his reputation. He didn't expect Batman to make it out of this room, but he did. Good thing he planned for that.

A net drops across Batman as he clears the tunnel. It is coated with a sticky substance that greatly hampers his movements and is weighted but not enough to stop Bruce. He quickly starts cutting his way out but not before more goons appear. Even hampered by the net, he has no trouble fighting them off. He is whirling tornado of violence. Goons fall all around him. Their blows don't even faze him.

Zeiss exits the tunnel to witness Batman making mince meat out of his henchmen even while still in the net. _Very impressive._ Zeiss fires his pistols not caring that he catches many of his own men in the hail of bullets. He is just pleased to see the Bat go down.

_I am actually going to pull this off! I will be a legend! The man who killed the Bat! _A smile forms on Zeiss' lips as he reloads his pistols. The special ammo can punch through 6 feet of reinforced steel and should have no trouble finishing the Bat. He takes aim at the clearly wounded Batman but before he can fire the Bat surprises him by smashing a gas pellet on the floor. Dark thick clouds of smoke fill the area. Zeiss backs away while covering his mouth unsure what the gas will do to him. He fires blindly into the gas taking his best guess as to where the Bat was. He thinks he scored a hit but is unsure.

When the gas clears, Zeiss can see no sign of the Bat. At first, he thinks the Bat ran, but then he sees the shadow. He turns and fires but there is nothing there. He hears something to his left so he fires one gun left and the other right but still nothing. He knows the layout like the back of his hand but the warehouse suddenly seems frightening and alien. He catches a glimpse of the Bat behind him. He turns but doesn't fire as the Bat is gone again. "Show yourself!" he demands.

Zeiss hears a whirling noise and turns towards. Two batarangs whip out of the darkness. He fires knocking them both out of the air. He smiles for a second admiring his own skill. "_No one can match me."_ More sounds come out of the dark to his right. He turns and easily shoots the batarangs coming at him out of the air. "This is the best you got Bat? It isn't enough by far." Zeiss taunts.

"No" is the reply from directly above him.

As Zeiss brings his guns up, the Bat grabs him and pulls him up into the darkness. The Bat slams him into the ceiling and lets him fall back towards the warehouse floor. Before he hits, the Bat swings him into the far wall. This cause Zeiss to drop his pistols and leaves him dazed

"You made a big mistake." the Bat tells him coldly. He shatters Zeiss' nose with a powerful blow. The Bat then lifts Zeiss up so he can slam his knee into Zeiss' guts.

Zeiss tries to fight back but his blows don't slow the Bat's attack. Blow after blow slams into his body. Bones break and pain fills Zeiss. He drops to his knees coughing blood and begging "Please stop, I give up already. Take me to jail. You're the good guy."

Batman lifts his battered and broken foe and draws back to finish this once and for all. As he meets Zeiss' eyes he sees fear and acceptance in them. They both know he doesn't deserve to live. Bruce's arm waves as he struggles with what to do. This thing hurt Chloe. This thing has killed hundreds of people. With Bane, he had no other choice. Today, he does have another option. Bruce drops Zeiss to the ground and staggers away.

Zeiss can't believe his luck. He was sure the Bat was going to kill him. Now the Bat has his face away from him and one of his pistols is near his hand. He grabs the pistol and brings it to bear.

Wounded and barely conscious, Bruce knows he won't be able to dodge in time. He watches in slow motion as Zeiss raises his pistol. Before he can fire, the far door explodes. A blur of motion races into the room getting between Zeiss and Batman.

"You hurt my friend." a distraught young man declares with anger in his eyes. He lifts Zeiss up by one hand.

"Look out, Clark." Bruce shouts as he watches in slow motion as Zeiss brings the pistol to bear on Clark's midsection. He sees the smile on Zeiss' face as Zeiss pulls the trigger. Bruce pushes himself off the wall he was leaning against and tries to get to Clark but the gun goes off first. He failed again.

Shock replaces the smile on Zeiss' face when the bullet bounces off the Clark and ricochets through his torso. He stares in disbelief as he watches his blood flow onto the floor. "_The bullet had no trouble piercing my vest so how did it bounce of that guy? What is he made of?"_

Clark throws Zeiss across the warehouse hard enough he knows it will hurt. For a moment he wishes he had it in him to kill, but he knows Chloe wouldn't want him too. He has to be the hero.

Bruce is stunned by what he just witnessed. Clark didn't even flinch when the round hit him. At that range, it would have torn right through Bruce's armor. "_What is Clark?"_ Out loud he says "Thanks for the assist, but I have it from here." as he menacingly approaches Zeiss.

"I won't let you kill him." Clark states in his Boy Scout way while moving in front of Bruce with one hand extended towards Bruce.

"I am not known for mercy." He turns towards Ziess "Of course, I won't let him off that easy." Bruce states in a tone so cold even Clark steps back.

Clark is stronger, faster, and far more powerful than Bruce but he cannot project Bruce's aura of menace. Fearing he may have to intervene, he is relieved to see Bruce just cuff Zeiss after thoroughly searching and disarming him.

Later at the Batcave, Bruce winces as Jason treats his many injuries. His armor absorbed most of the damage but he still cracked several ribs, is bruised nearly head to foot, and had a bullet removed from his calf. His muscles don't feel right after the jolt of electricity either. He will need several days to recover but that is fine. With Zeiss in jail, all he wants to do is get to Chloe.

Clark stands by as he watches Bruce being treated. He can't believe how much abuse Bruce endured and kept going. He didn't even seem to notice Jason stitching up his leg. The intensity in Bruce's eyes is something Clark envies and fears.


	12. Chapter 12

Part XII

At the lab one week and then two drags by as Bruce, Clark, and Lois take turns watching over Chloe. In trithtruth, it is more Clark and Lois coming and going, as Bruce essentially lives at her side.

Being near Chloe still makes Clark sick, but the effect is lessening. He tries to think that is a good sign but his fears say something else.

One night when Clark manages to drag Bruce out of the lab, Lois sits by Chloe's side holding her hand and once again begs her to wake. She knows it is her fault Chloe is laying there. If she hadn't thrown Lois out of the way, she would be fine. It was her hunting Batman that made them targets. Their attacker confessed that he shot at Lois because he was trying to draw Batman out. It doesn't matter that Batman brought him to justice. "Please, Chloe, wake up." she begs again.

"She will." a voice behind her says causing her to jump. There in the room is Batman! "She is strong. She will recover. Have Faith." he continues.

The story she has been pursuing for weeks is standing next to her and she doesn't care. "It is all my fault." she admits to him.

"No. It was mine. My existence put her and you in danger. For that I am sorry. It is why I don't talk to the press. My enemies will do anything to get to me so friends are a luxury I can't afford." he tells her.

"No one should be alone. What about Batwoman? I thought you are a team." Lois wonders.

Batman moves to stand over Chloe and looks down on her with surprising kindness. "Did she ever tell you we met before?" he asks ignoring her other question.

"She did. She told me you rescued from Penguin. She said you were very brave and mysterious." Lois replies fondly remembering the conversation with her cousin.

"That wasn't the first time we met. She saved my life the first time, so I was only returning the favor." Batman states.

Lois is intrigued. "_Why didn't Chloe mention this before? Why keep this from me?_"

"I was injured and nearly unconscious. Do you know she didn't even try to look under my mask? She is a truly remarkable woman." he continues.

"Sounds like you have a crush on my cousin." Lois blurts out. "_Smooth, Lois real smooth."_

"As I said, she is a remarkable woman, but alas she seems to prefer billionaires to superheroes." he remarks.

Lois has to laugh at that comment. Leave it to her cousin to pass up on a hero like Batman for a playboy like Bruce. She really doesn't understand what she sees in him. Sure, she agreed to play nice, but she still doesn't like him. "Well, not that it matters, you get my vote." Lois says surprising herself as well as Batman.

With an amused smile on his masked face, he bows and departs out the window. Lois doesn't even bother to run over to watch him swing away. She just grasps Chloe's hand once more and waits.

As the weeks pass, Bruce has to give up his vigil. He knows she would want him on the streets where they both belong. He does spend time with her everyday. Even Lois is starting to believe he is not all bad after witnessing his dedication to Chloe.

Clark has been helping him even though he complains constantly about being made to wear a costume. Clark's abilities have come in very handy but his lack of training is a liability. To correct this and to allow each to blow off steam, Bruce has started training Clark.

"Come on, Clark. Keep your guard up." Bruce orders as he lands 3 more blows on Clark. For someone with superpowers, Clark is a lousy fighter. "Just because you are nearly invulnerable doesn't mean, you shouldn't be prepared." he chides.

A frustrated Clark closes once more with Bruce. In a real fight, Clark is way too strong and fast for Bruce to stop him but under the dampening effects of the nearby Kryptonite Bruce is taking him apart easily. His respect for Bruce continues to climb.

Chloe hears something but can't make it out. She feels strange: lighter. There is something touching her. She tries to focus on it. It is a hand. A hand holding her hand. She suddenly is aware of her surrounds as her body awakens. She feels good, energetic. She sits up and startles poor Lois out of her chair. Lois must have fallen asleep holding Chloe's hand.

"Thank god." Lois blurts out as she wraps her arms around her in a great big hug.

"Need air" Chloe mutters more to lighten the moment than for any real discomfort. She notices Angela enter the room and start checking her over.

"Good news. You seem to have fully recovered from the gunshot. There is still a large amount of Kryptonite in your system, but the green hue is definitely fading. In a few days, it should be gone completely." she tells Chloe.

"Bruce, she is awake." Lois says into her phone.

"She is awake." Bruce tells Clark as he races to his car. Clark beats him to the car and they race off to the hospital.

"Chloe!" Bruce says as he sweeps her into his embrace. He kisses so passionately, she nearly passes out.

"Glad to see me, are you?" she snarks which everyone in the room finds to be the best sign she is ok.

"We were so scared." Clark adds as he struggles with whether or not to hug her. She notices his awkward moment and pulls him into a hug.

"It is good to see you too." she replies with her bright smile.

A week later, Chloe thought she had Bruce when they both knew there was no way for him to get out of his trip to London. She would be free to hit the streets once more. He had even agreed to let her. It was then she should have known he was up to something. Until then he had been insisting she stay home while the good doctor ran every test under the sun on her. She felt great; better than she ever had in fact. She hates being confined to the grounds but she hates that his "please I couldn't live without you" speech that not only got her to agree to stay but also to do a few others things. A hint of a blush finds its way to her cheeks when she remembers some of those things along with a pleasant smile.

It wasn't till she got the truck onto the streets that she noticed him. Clark is many things but sneaky has never been one of them. Even with super speed, it was easy for her to spot him. In fairness, part of that was because she knew him so well. He was never able to hide anything from her for long.

He had surprised her when he continued to train with Bruce. He had learned a lot from Bruce and had matured. God, she loved the look on his face when Bruce came out in the nude. Clark was so embarrassed he never had a chance which was exactly the whole point of the exercise. An enemy is an enemy no matter what they look like. Treat them as anything else and people get killed.

Still, even with her shadow, she was back on the streets! It felt good to be swinging amongst the rooftops once more. She had a bit of fun making Clark double back and super leap to keep up with her but she restrained herself from losing him completely. He would find her eventually and it really wasn't fair to make both of them worry about her more than necessary.

Gunshots drew her attention. Coming from the Gotham 14th Precinct from the sound of it. Something big must be going down. "Clark lets check this out before we rush in. Meet me on the roof that overlooks the Precinct." she says aloud knowing he can hear her.

"Give it up pigs. You can't stop me." rants the small time hood Thomas Reed. Chloe is amazed as he wades easily through all the firepower Gotham PD can bring to bear on him. He is holding a large metal chest which she thinks he just liberated from the police station based on the large hole in the wall he is walking out of.

"I will call Gordon and get the police to back off while you distract him." Chloe orders.

Clark is surprised to hear his friend who used to be so passive confidentially giving him orders. He nods his agreement. He jumps down still feeling silly in the red and blue costume Bruce makes him wear. He has to admit it does protect his identity and lets him work in the open more. "Why don't you put that down and give yourself up?" Clark suggest to Thomas.

"I ain't afraid of the Bat or his flunkies. I am unstoppable now." Thomas boasts.

Clark super speeds over to Thomas with the intention of putting him in a submission hold but as soon as he touches Thomas, he feels the weakness associated with Kryptonite spreading through out him. Thomas reaches behind himself and grabs Clark. He then easily throws Clark into a nearby building.

When Clark staggers to get up, Chloe realizes the source of Thomas' powers. She swings down to help Clark. She throws flash and smoke pellets to distract Thomas while she pulls Clark out.

"I was supposed to be watching out for you." Clark gruffs as she drops him on rooftop they started on.

"You can still back me up. Just do it from a distance." she tells him in a friendly teasing way.

Rolling his eyes at her causes her to smirk as she swings back to the action. She decides to try some sleep pellets. Thomas wobbles from them, but doesn't go down. She isn't concerned because it is clear he won't be able to fight the effects for long. Just to be sure, she hits him with a few more. After a minute of him drunkenly staggering around, he goes down. Unfortunately, when he does, he clips a nearby telephone pole. It snaps and starts to fall towards the assembled crowd and the officers keeping them back. Clark is there. He catches the pole but he watches in horror as a live wire snaps free and swings toward the back of an officer.

Without conscious thought, Chloe reacts. She dives for the cable and catches it. Electricity courses through her, melting parts of her costume. The pain is intense but she holds on long enough to pull the wire free at the pole. With the danger averted, she drops to her knees to take a minute to catch her breath. A strange smell greets her nose and it is a full minute before she realizes the smell is her own burnt flesh. The look on Clark's face and the way the crowd moved away from her tells her how she looks. Oddly, she doesn't feel that bad. The pain is quickly receding and she stands easily. She looks to Clark hoping he will get the "get me out of here" look she is giving because she doesn't trust her voice.

Clark's heart stops as he watches Chloe get electrocuted. He can see her costume melt onto her. Her helmet cracks revealing hair that is burning off. She falls to her knees and he nearly does the same. He is relieved to see her stand a moment later. When she turns to him, he is amazed to see her hair already re-growing. Catching her look, he super speeds over to her and rushes them both back to the mobile base. They then head for Star Labs.

On the ride, Chloe tries to remove her armor but much of it is fused to her skin. "Clark, I need your help." she tells him.

"No way. Let the doctor at Star Labs check you out first." he replies using his arms motions to emphasiveemphasize his no.

"Clark, you don't know how this feels. My body is trying to heal itself. I need to get this armor off so it can heal me properly. I am afraid if I don't, my skin will grow right over it." Chloe replies.

Clark paces while weighing this for a minute before replying "Not until someone looks at you."

"Fine. I will do it myself." she says as she walks over to the work bench and picks up a dermal saw.

Seeing what she is about to do, Clark comments "You are too stubborn for your own good" but he then helps peel her armor off. He starts with a piece on her arm and waits for the skin to re-grow before agreeing to do any more. He winces at the large amount of flesh that comes off with the armor. In fact, he throws up in the corner when he pulls off her chest plate and a large chunk of burnt Chloe comes with it.

Chloe feels for Clark as she knows what agrislya grisly task she is asking him to do. She had no idea her body was so badly damaged. However, once the nerves start to re-grow, she nearly blacks out from the pain. It takes all her training not to cry out in agony. She even manages to keep a false smile on her face to ensure Clark continues.

By the time, they reach Star Labs all the armor has been removed. Chloe has changed into a set of street clothes and so has Clark. This will allow then to walk through the front door and not raise any questions.

Angela is stunned to see the remains of the armor. The amount of human tissue alone should have killed Chloe but there she stands looking fine and slightly bored. After reviewing Chloe's latest test results, she had been trying to find a way to tell Chloe, but when Chloe just showed up she realized she was out of time. What just happened only further confirms her results. She looks at Chloe with sad eyes "I don't know how to tell you this so I am just going to say it. Your power allows you to heal from every injury but it also prevents you from aging. That is not the worst news. I believe your power prevents you from ever getting pregnant. Unless I can find a cure you will never be able to have children. I am so sorry." She puts an arm on Chloe's in an effort to offer some comfort.

Chloe is still processing the fact she may be immortal so it takes her a second to translate the rest of what Angela told her. "_I can't have children!"_ She, honestly, had not thought that much about having children lately anyway because of everything going but the news she can never have children is still devastating. She turns to Clark and starts crying into his shoulder as words cannot hope to express the pain in her heart. "_How will Bruce take this? I know deep down he wants a family._"

"I am sorry. I will do everything I can to find a cure." Angela says trying to offer some small comfort. As a woman she understands what not being able to have children means to another woman far better than any man could ever hope too.

Clark is stunned by the news. He doesn't know how Chloe feels about children as they never really talked about that stuff but he understands being alone. The idea he may never have children has crossed his mind more than once. He holds her hoping it is enough.

In London, Green Arrow faces off with Batman on a rooftop over looking the Thames River. The two titans circle each warily each searching for weakness in the other.

"So you are the one who stole my Watchtower away from me." Oliver quips

"She prefers Batwoman these days" Bruce replies.

"She will always be Watchtower to me." Oliver replies fondly.

"She chose this life. Her work for you was just the first step to becoming the person she is now." Bruce explains.

"But is she happy?" Oliver asks.

"I hope so." is Bruce's honest reply.

"Good answer. I think we can be friends after all." Oliver replies as he offers his hand.

Bruce shakes it firmly.

Later in Bruce's private jet on their way to Gotham, Oliver and Bruce are discussing the technology each uses in their occupation. Trading designs and ideas amongst themselves. Oliver has some very interesting ideas which Bruce is certain Lucius can figure out how to produce. Bruce's armor alone makes this alliance worth while for Oliver and his group.

As for the League, Bruce is reluctant to become a full member but he is ok with sharing resources. Oliver understands his caution and his focus on Gotham. His own obsession with Lex is very similar.

As they are landing, Bruce calls Chloe, but is surprised when Clark answers her line. Immediately knowing something is wrong, he demands "What happened? Is she ok?" while his heart stops waiting for Clark's reply.

"Honestly, I don't know. She is pretty upset. Dr. Kane had some new test results. You should get here as soon as you can. I would have called, but she forbid me. She said your meeting was too important to interrupt." Clark tells him. Bruce can hear the regret in Clark's voice at not having called despite what Chloe wants which only further worries him.

"Nothing is more important than her." Bruce says with conviction that concerns Clark. He loves Chloe too, but he knows some things have to come even before her.


	13. Chapter 13

Part XIII

Several weeks have passed since Dr. Kane spoke to Chloe, and Chloe is doing her best to deal with it. Her actions have caused some concern among her friends as she continues to push the limits of her abilities. Even under controlled conditions it is unnerving to watch her drown, burn, and cut herself. She spent one afternoon just seeing how quickly each of her bones healed when she broke them. Her cold clinical approach to her self mutilations has transferred to her personality. She is not the warm and constantly upbeat Chloe they all knew. They hope she will return. In the meantime, Oliver, Clark and Bruce can only watch and help her as best as they can.

Lois finally scored her exclusive with Batman. It was a brief encounter but it gave her a headline so she is on her way back to Metropolis. She hates leaving Chloe while she is still clearly so upset, but she also thinks her cousin could use some space. As hard as the boys are trying to take care of her, Lois thinks they are smothering her. She knows how tough her family is and is certain Chloe will be fine, eventually.

Her relationship with Bruce has cooled. She just can't face him knowing she will never be able to give him the one thing he wants more than anything, a family. She feels so guilty for holding onto him. He tries to reassure her, but she knows him. She knows how much having a child of his own one day is to him. When he brought up adoption, she slapped him. They both know no matter how much they loved the adopted child, it wouldn't be theirs. It wouldn't be his.

As for Clark, she was at first glad to have his never ending support but now he is smothering her worse than Bruce. He just has never understood sometimes people have to face their own dangers no matter what. If he could just step back, he would see.

Only Ollie is letting her be who she needs to be. Bruce and Clark put up with Ollie only because he is the only one she will patrol with at the moment. All the time she is spending with Ollie is pissing Bruce and Clark off. Bruce's jealousy is so bad it has pretty much ended his relationship with the league. Clark just looks like a hurt puppy when she refuses to let him come along. It is driving her mad.

The end result is the mansion has become an armed camp with everyone waiting for the shooting to start again. The only upside is that Gotham has never been safer. With all these superheroes in serious need of venting, they have all been pounding Gotham's criminals. It has gotten so hot in Gotham that Black Mask abandoned the city entirely. The citizens of Gotham have their city back for the moment.

"You have to tell them." he says as he holds her cheek savoring the warmth of her skin. She looks so beautiful with the sunset behind her. If only.

"I know but I just don't want to. It will hurt both of them so much, Bruce in particular." she says while meeting his green eyes. She smiles laughing to herself at Oliver's vanity going so far as to add green contacts to his costume. "You'll keep your promise? I mean this is going to cost you. Bruce will never forgive this. Clark probably will, but it will take awhile."

"I wouldn't have promised if I didn't mean it." he says wishing he wasn't too much of coward to tell her what else he promised her in his heart.

"Thanks, Ollie." she says as she hugs him.

"Anything for you." he whispers over her shoulder. The pain in his heart will never go away no matter how many bimbos he tries to fill it with, but she is worth it.

"Clark, it is time for you to go." Chloe tells him firmly while standing in Bruce's massive living room.

Clark turns from the window where he was watching the sunset. "What? No, I still have a lot to learn." Clark stammers trying to convince her that is the only reason he is hanging around.

"You need to go to Metropolis." She says crossing the room to be in front of Clark. "The city is falling apart without you. You need to go be the hero I know you are. Go, Clark." Chloe firmly but gently tells him with her hand on his chest.

Knowing his city has needs him and Gotham doesn't, Clark nods but says "I don't want to leave you. I want to help you."

"You have, but the rest I have to do on my own." she replies giving him her best smile.

Drawing a deep breath, Clark replies "If you need me, just call." He then heads up to his room to pack. At super speed it only takes him a few seconds. He stops to shake hands with Oliver and Bruce on his way out. He looks to Chloe but then turns away and runs off at super speed. Somethings even the Man of Steel can't face.

Turning to Bruce she tries to meet his eyes, but fails. She tries again, but it is just too hard.

"You're leaving" Bruce states coldly. His eyes are always hard but today they seem even harder.

Unable to speak, she merely nods as her tears flow down her cheeks. She has her arms folded against her chest.

Bruce wraps her in his arms and lifts her face to his. "I understand. I truly do. Just come back." he says before letting her go and walking back into his study on his way back down to the cave.

"Let's go Oliver." Chloe says, even though her heart is screaming at her to run after Bruce.

Picking up her luggage, Oliver silently follows her out to the limo.

**A year later**

A year in Star City has helped Chloe clear her head and find herself again. She has learned to embrace her new power. Since she was in a new city she adopted a new costumed hero id, she is now known as Watcher. Not the most glamorous or catchy title, but that stuff is not what is important. With Oliver's help she has built a fearsome reputation here. In fact, Oliver actually asked her to scale back the intensity of her reputation joking that one Batman was enough for any world.

She looks over at Oliver relaxing with his latest "girlfriend." She can't figure out why Oliver keeps dating all these women. Sure they are attractive and from the sound of things creative in the bedroom, but nothing in the attic so to speak. She knows they don't make Oliver truly happy. In the beginning, she thought he was trying to protect himself or anyone he truly loves from danger, but he spent hours talking to her about how he wanted to find someone. He told her his dreams time and time again only to go chasing after these twits a minute later.

Oliver laughs at whatever his date just said, but his mind is on the beauty sitting in the next room. From his place on the balcony, he can just see her silhouette hard at work in front of her computer once again. She is so driven; it's just one more thing he loves about her. His date has noticed he has drifted off again so to cover he leans over and kisses her while thinking of other lips.

Chloe rolls her eyes when she notices Oliver sealing the deal with his date. She reaches over and pushes the button that closes the blinds so they can have some privacy. She then gets back to work.

Bruce stands on top of one of Gotham's tallest skyscrapers looking out over the city. To an observer, he looks tall and strong as he surveys the city for trouble. The truth is he comes up here to think of her. He misses her more than he thought he would. All his training and self control can't do more than dull the ache in his heart. When she comes back, he intends to make sure she never leaves him again.

**Another year later**

After two years, she knows it is time to go back. She hopes he will still have a place for her. The few times league business had brought them together he was distance, but not out right cold, so she still clings to hope. He said he understood. She prays he does.

"Oliver, thank you for all you have done for me. I can't say how much I appreciate it." Chloe says as she hugs him.

"Anything for you." he blurts out before he catches himself. Her embrace always fuddles his brain. He holds his breath hoping she will let his slip go by unnoticed.

Chloe hears Oliver's confession and suddenly their relationship takes on a new light. Moments rearrange themselves filling in the puzzle that is Oliver. "_He has a thing for me! How could I have not noticed before?"_ "Oh Oliver." she says as she places her hand on his cheek.

"I know. First, Clark and then Bruce." He pauses a moment."I know you have never seen me that way. I am trying to get over you but you are a hard woman to get over." he replies as he puts his face in her hair and breathes in her scent. "I don't know when exactly it started, but working with you I saw what an amazing woman you are. One day I realized you meant more to me than the rest of the team did. I cared more than I should, but I couldn't stop. When I set you up here in Gotham, I toyed with the idea of moving here too, but I knew you were trying to get away from Clark. It didn't seem right." Oliver confesses getting some relief from finally having said something.

"So that is why you didn't" Chloe says. Things may have been different if he said something then but now Bruce is the only one in her heart.

"I didn't what?" Oliver remarks trying to pretend they both don't know what she is talking about.

"That night we got really drunk. You were consoling me. Helping me get over Jimmy and Clark. The night I kissed you." she tells him as she recalls sitting on her sofa with Oliver.

He remembers that night. It was her last night in her apartment above the Talon. Every moment is drilled into his memory. The feel of her in his arms, the faint cherry of her lip gloss, the strawberry smell of her hair. He thinks of that night often. He regrets how that night ended but he also knows it was the only it way it could have ended well. He searches for what to say.

"I was hurt, you know. If even a playboy like Oliver Queen doesn't want me, why would anyone else." She puts her finger on his lips as he tries to rebut. "I realized the next day you were just being a good friend. I realized that by not sleeping with me, you were showing me that you cared. That made a lot of the next days much easier. Knowing I had such a good friend in my corner helped a lot." she tells Oliver meeting his eyes. Her hand slowly strokes his cheek.

"Clark wouldn't have slept with you either. It wasn't that big a deal." Oliver tries to say to play that night down. To try and forget the pounding of his heart as he stood in the alley trying to regain his senses all the while fighting his desperate need to rush back to her.

"Clark is Clark. You, my friend, are a rouge. You have more notches on that bedpost of yours than you do on your bow." Chloe snarks to lessen the intensity of the moment.

"It was one of the hardest things I ever did. When you kissed me, it was like a dream come true. Even when I realized you weren't kissing me, I thought that would be ok. But it wouldn't be. You were hurting and I would be taking advantage. Then I thought about the awkward next morning. I knew our friendship was worth more than that." Oliver tells her.

"Thank you for loving me. I am sorry I don't love you the same way back." she tells him honestly. She looks deep into his eyes and asks "Promise me one thing."

"Whatever you wish." he swears staring back into her eyes. He would do anything to stay lost in those magical pools.

"Find her. She is out there but you won't find her with any of them or by holding onto me." she explains. She puts her arm on his shoulder to emphasize her words.

"I want too, but my Watchtower keeps getting in the way." he solemnly replies. He flicks a piece of hair out of her face.

Chloe wishes she could ease Oliver's torment as she knows what he is feeling all too well. How long did she hold Clark in her heart? Life just doesn't work that way though. "I need to go back." she states.

"The jet has been fueled and ready everyday for the last two months. Just grab you stuff and go." Oliver tells her. He heads into his Green Arrow sanctuary hoping it will provide him some measure of comfort.

"Thanks again, Oliver." she says into the sanctuary as she stands by its door with her bags in hand.

Oliver waves goodbye over his shoulder as he focuses intently on a target down range.

She hates leaving this way, but she can't think of anyway to fix it. He had offered to take her to the plane, but she wants to limit his pain as much as she can. The sooner she is gone, the better.

"She is coming back to you. Take care of her." Oliver tells Bruce during their daily conversation. She would kill both of them if she knew about all these calls, but somehow they managed to keep it from her.

"With everything I have." Bruce promises. Bruce is glad Chloe has Oliver and Clark. If anything ever happens to him, they will help her through it. She might even be able to find happiness again with one of them. He knows both would find happiness with her.

Chloe's return to Gotham didn't go as she planned. Bruce didn't meet her at the airport, having sent Jason with the car instead. She nervously entered the mansion wondering what he would say, but he surprised her. All he said was "Welcome back." and that was it. He acted like she never left. She still debated in her head if she should confront him and force a more detailed conversation, but over the next week she realized it wasn't necessary. He really did understand why she left and was just glad she came back. She loved him all the more for that.

She is not sure why he insisted they come up here. "_Sure it is a great view of the city but they already caught the bad guys two hours ago. What is he looking for?"_

"I never told you this, but I come up here because here I can see what Gotham can be. Up here Gotham appears to be a city at peace. It always gives me hope to come up here and look out." Bruce tells her as he turns to face her. He takes her hands in his holding them tight.

Chloe is touched he is sharing this with her. She knows how hard it is for him to let anyone in even her. "It is beautiful up here." she comments.

"Chloe will you marry me?" he pops on her. A ring glints in the night as it rests in his gloved palm.

"Bruce, are you serious?" Chloe stammers completely overwhelmed and caught off guard. She had no idea he was thinking about marriage. They haven't discussed anything serious regarding their relationship since her return.

"Deadly. You are more than just my partner or my lover. You complete me in ways I thought were forever broken. Please be my wife." he implores her.

"Bruce, I want too but it is not fair. I can't have children. It is not fair to rob you of the chance to have the family I know you want so badly." she tells him with tears forming in her eyes. She loves him too much to do that to him.

"I asked you here dressed as we are to make it clear that Bruce is the mask I wear. Batman is who I am. Batman can never have a family no matter what Bruce may want. This is who I am and I can't change that. I don't want to change that." He gives her a sad smile. "You are like me. Neither of us can sit by the sidelines. We have to be in the fight. I just want to fight by your side for however long I can." he says with such honesty and conviction she can't help but believe him. In a strange way, it is the most romantic thing he has ever said to her.

"Yes" is all she can say as she wraps her arms around him while planting a passionate kiss on his lips. Pulling back, she puts on her thinking face as she snarks "We will need to do a more public version of this so we have a story to tell people when they ask where you proposed."


	14. Chapter 14

Part XIV

Even as Clark looks at the front page picture of Bruce on one knee in front of Chloe, he still can't believe she is getting married. "_Chloe is getting married!"_ He is happy for her. He is even happier she didn't give him a hard time for dating Lois. He felt really weird asking his best friend's cousin out, but he just had to. He remembers swearing to Chloe he didn't ask Lois out just because she is a pale imitation of Chloe. Even he believed himself, so he is sure Chloe did.

It is the wedding of the century with anyone who is anyone fighting for an invitation to Bruce Wayne's wedding. The media circus alone is beyond belief. It is so bad they have to take a vacation from Batman and Batwoman, but neither minds that much. The press had a field day with Bruce's bachelor party photos and eye witness reports, but they were stunned when Chloe didn't break down in front of their cameras. They were even more stunned when pictures of Chloe's bachelorette party "leaked" which made Bruce's event seem tame and Bruce simply commented he was glad she had a good time. Every effort to stir up trouble failed miserably. The press doesn't understand how Chloe and Bruce are holding up so well under all the pressure. They don't know Bruce and Chloe already had their ceremony with just their dearest friends and family or that this is all just for show. Chloe is actually having a grand time playing the bride to be as she works the talk show circuit and the million interviews. She gives Lois an exclusive of course. Bruce is not as thrilled, but he is being a good sport.

The day of their wedding the weather is perfect. The sun is shining but there is enough of a light breeze to keep it from getting hot. Chloe has Clark walk her down the isle as her father passed away last year. Lois looks so uncomfortable in the hideous pink contraption Chloe picked for the bride's maids. She tried to convince Lois she only picked it because it was the "in" style of dress but they both know Chloe enjoyed forcing Lois into that dress. Lois gives her a clenched teeth smile as Chloe gets to the alter. "_Good luck Clark"_ Chloe thinks. Their private marriage ceremony was simple but elegant. Today is anything but simple. It is the full on fairy tale with horse drawn carriage and love doves. Bruce and Chloe had written their own vows for their private ceremony but here they use ultra flowery love speak so coated with sugar anyone who hears it gets a sugar high. This event is all about maintaining their public image.

There was a tiny bit of a stir when Penguin made an appearance but he simply offered his best wishes and left a small present. Penguin is another example of why Chloe is Bruce's perfect match. Thanks to a little bit of help from Chloe, using Bruce's money, Penguin has managed to go relatively straight. He owns an exclusive restaurant and night club which thanks to Bruce Wayne and company visiting regularly is the hit of Gotham. The food is actually really good. Penguin knows his fish.

The reception is an old style ball. Chloe had always thought a ball would be fun, so why not. Being who they are it is easy to get everyone to play along. While Chloe does have fun, she does regret a bit the choice of dress. The thing seems to gain weight over the evening and is so awkward she nearly trips a dozen times. She is very envious of the boy's simpler formal wear until Bruce confides his outfit rides up in some very uncomfortable spots. Still, they have a wonderful time.

The next day, Bruce and Chloe enjoy relaxing in their bed doing what newly weds are supposed to do. That night they don their costumes and venture out into the night. This is the real consummation of their marriage as it is on the streets where they truly belong.

A few months later:

"Go faster." Chloe orders from the back seat of the Batjet.

"We are already at 110%. I can't push the engines anymore or we won't get there at all." he calmly tells her.

"We have to get there in time." she replies.

"We will" he reassures her even though they both know it is not a something he can promise.

They eject over the battle site while the jet's autopilot takes it to a private airstrip nearby to wait for them.

"I don't like this plan." Bruce tells her as the glide over the battle.

"I don't like it either, but you can see it may be our only chance?" Chloe replies.

"I do." he replies tersely and then closes his cape so he falls faster.

Clark had planned on hitting Doomsday with the Phantom Zone generator, but Doomsday proved to be too fast for him to hit with the ray. Clark then tried to beat Doomsday into submission, but he has failed. Doomsday is too powerful. Even with Oliver's team helping, he is overmatched. Still Clark has never been one to give up hope so he struggles to his feet and prepares to fight once more.

Doomsday claps his hands sending that small running fool flying from the shockwave. That fly was just a minor distraction. He turns back to his true enemy and is pleased to see Clark is back on his feet. Doomsday is enjoying this. He charges once more.

Clark tries to roll with Doomsday's blow but his injuries slow him too much to completely avoid it. Still, he manages to land a blow of his own in the process. He then struggles to his feet again. His vision is blurring so he knows he doesn't have much left. He prays he has enough. Summoning his power he launches himself at Doomsday. They meet with such force that the blast lays waste to everything around them. The members of the league still standing are thrown back from the shockwaves. They lie unconscious but still alive scattered amongst the debris. Clark's vision swims and no matter how hard he tries he can't seem to focus. His limbs feel like lead but he forces them to move. He crawls out of the crater his impact made and collapses on its edge. He knows he needs to stand up again but just can't manage to. "_I am sorry Lois" _passes through his mind as he remembers his promise not to get himself killed.

Suddenly, explosions engulf Doomsday on his way to finish Clark. Clark looks up and sees Batman and Batwoman floating down. "No. Run. He is too powerful" Clark croaks out but he doubts they can hear him or even if they did, he doubts they would run. Renewing his efforts to push his broken body onto its feet, he is determined not to let any more of his friends die today.

Doomsday looks for the flies that tried to hurt him. A small human female dressed in a costume stands lands in front of him. Unlike the others, she shows no fear. She just stands there daring him to kill her. Eager to oblige her, he raises both fists to drive her body into the ground but she dodges out of the way. She is fast for a human. Still, she is only human and no where near fast enough. He easily grabs her with both hands. He lifts her high in the sky laughing at her pathetic efforts to break free. He then slams her fragile human body into the ground enjoying the sounds her bones make as they break and tear through her costume. He stomps on her for simple pleasure. Her mangled form is one more example of his inevitable victory. He starts to turn back to his true enemy but he stops. The female is moving. She is standing up. This is impossible. He drives his knuckle blades through her taking pleasure at the blood that pours from her mouth. Impaled she should be dead but she looks at him with a clear challenge in her eyes. Enraged, he grabs her head and slams her body back into the ground. He looks at her eyes waiting for the light to leave them but they still stare back at him and she slowly stares to stand again. He stomps her back into the ground. Her screams are sweet music to him as he works on her. He pounds her body till it is a broken pile of tissue, blood, and bone.

Satisfied that this bug is at last no more, he turns back to Superman. He sees a costumed male trying to aid Superman. Doomsday laughs at their pathetic efforts. Nothing can stop him.

"Is that all you've got?" a voice asks from behind him.

Turing, he cannot believe the female is standing whole before him once more. Enraged beyond reason, he pounces on her. He pounds her, rips her, stomps her but again and again her body reforms. Again and again she taunts him. So determined to stop her, he never notices the device Brue gives Clark. He does hear the whine of the energy beam just before it strikes him banishing him to the phantom zone.

VERY glad Doomsday has been defeated, Chloe collapses on the ground and just holds herself. Her power may allow her to heal from any injure but she still feels pain. What Doomsday did to her was so horrible. She never wants to go through that again but she knows she would to save Clark. She was so afraid Doomsday would kill him.

Bruce doesn't say anything when he reaches his wife, he just wraps his arms around her and holds her as tight as he can. Even knowing her powers would heal her, it was hard to watch what Doomsday did to her. It was only a few moments, but it seemed an eternity.

It is several minutes before either can break the embrace. When they do, Chloe rushes to Clark while Bruce searches the debris for their other friends.

"Oh, Clark." Chloe says as she looks over all his injuries. She reaches out her hand to heal him but he grabs her arm stopping her.

"Help the others first." he orders.

"Clark, I have never seen you hurt this bad before. I think you may be dying." Chloe tells him while trying to work her other hand towards him.

Despite his wounds, he notices her and says "Please Chloe. Help them first."

She looks into his one still open eye and knows she won't win this argument. She curses him for being so stubborn while at same time proud of him. She makes her way over to where Bruce has just freed Bart from under part of a wall.

"Hey, Chlolisous." Bart quips as Bruce wraps his clearly broken arm in a make shift sling. "I will be fine. Don't worry I will be able to dance with you tonight. Just give me a few minutes." Bart says with a wink.

Chloe ruffles his hair before heading over to where she thinks she can see Black Canary lying. When she gets there, she is relieved to find Dinah alive, but unconscious. Both of Dinah's legs are broken but otherwise Chloe can't find any sign of injury. She moves on looking for Oliver, AC , and Victor. She finds Victor next. He is latterly embedded in the concrete of a wall. She is amazed he is still alive. Judging from all the damage she can see his systems are all but destroyed.

"Don't worry. Just need some time in the mechanic shop." he replies with his best tough guy smile.

Chloe looks at the fluids dripping helplessly. She has never used her power on Victor as they didn't know how his cybernetic systems would react. In this case, her power may do more harm. "Hang in there." she quips trying to give him some reason to hold on.

"Oh that was a bad one, Sullivan." he quips back with an eerie something that is clearly broken laugh.

She can't find any sign of AC, but she does find Oliver. His broken body lies lifelessly slumped against a car bow still in his broken hand. She kneels down next to him and summons her power. She can feel nothing of Oliver still there but she owes him so she pours more power into his shattered frame.

Oliver has not felt so at peace in a long time. He can't figure out where he is, but he feels safe and happy here so he doesn't wonder too much about it. Two figures call to them and his heart soars. "Mom! Dad! Your alive again." he shouts before the truth hits him. Flashes of the battle with Doomsday come back to him. "Oh, I died. Didn't I?" he states more than asks.

"We missed you son. It is ok. You can rest now. We are so proud of you." they say to him with their words filling him with their love.

He reaches out to them but then he hears a faint voice.

"Oliver. Oliver. Come back to us." it calls.

He tries to remember the voice. It is familiar but he can't remember. His parents beckon and he reaches out to them once more but something in the voice stops him. He listens to the voice and he knows what he must do. "I am sorry, but I am not finished yet. I have to go back." he tells them with pain in his heart.

"We understand." his father says as the distant between him and his parents grows even though neither has physically moved. Oliver feels himself drift and then settle back into his body. Pain greets him, but also warm arms hold him which are taking the pain away. Before they take it all, he pushes them off him. He needs some of the pain to keep going. He opens his eyes to see Chloe kneeling before him. The light in her eyes is fading as the strain of healing him takes its toll but there is a moment when their eyes meet and he can say thank you. He holds her as she slumps over thankful for her gift, but also determined to prove worth of it.

Bruce finds Chloe in Oliver's arms. He can see Oliver's love for his wife in the way Oliver cradles her. Without a word, he hands her to Bruce. Bruce summons the jet to take her home. He hates these waits, but he does worry. She will come back to him or he will go and get her. Nothing, not even, death will keep him from her side forever he swears.

It takes two weeks this time, but she does wake. Bruce is at her side as her eyes flutter open. "Welcome back." he says to her and kisses her lightly on the lips. He then slides a tray piled high with her favorite foods in front of her. His not so subtle way of telling her to eat as they both know she needs to replenish her body after these ordeals.

As she eats, she inquires "How is everyone?" Praying Clark and the others she didn't get to heal are ok.

"Clark is fine. One day in the sun and he was fully recovered. Once his arm was cast, Bart was zipping around as normal. Canary is still out of action as her legs are expected to take another week to heal enough to start therapy, Victor under went major repairs and is fine now, Oliver, as you know, is ok." Bruce tells her. Taking a deep breath and taking her hand, he continues "We don't know what happened to AC. We tracked the trajectory of his flight from Doomsday's punch. It ended in the bay. We were never able to find a body and we haven't heard from him. I am sorry to say but he might be gone. The fact he landed in water, his natural environment, is the only thing that give us some faint hope. Perhaps some of his fish friends carried him away to recover."

Loss is something she knows is a part of their world and she thought she had prepared herself for it, but it's never enough. She pictures AC smiling after he just pulled a prank on Bart and got away with it. It is strange to think she will never see him again. Guiltily, part of her is glad it was AC and not Oliver, Clark or especially Bruce. She hopes that doesn't make her a bad person. Steeling herself against her emotions, she replies "Where are Dinah and Bart? The sooner I can heal them, the sooner they are back in action."

"Not today. Today you are staying in bed all day and resting." Bruce says in his this is not a discussion voice.

Throwing off her covers, she starts to get up determined not to let him tell her what to do until he plays dirty by adding "please" to his order. Pouting a bit she pulls the covers back over her as she says "I guess one day wouldn't hurt, but I expect you will arrange for me to see them first thing in the morning tomorrow. Deal?"

Bruce stuns her by snarking back with "Yes dear."

They both share a light laugh something all too rare in this way too serious house. Bruce sits next to her and pulls up the TIVO menu. He then selects the oldest episode of her favorite show "Firefly" and snuggles down next to her to watch it.


	15. Chapter 15

Part XV

**Many Years Later**

Batman swung in through the window landing with a little less grace than he would wish, but he covers his poor landing by sweeping his cape dramatically. The thugs are impressed. His reputation freezes them for the vital seconds he needs to close. He throws gizmos as he advances on them, hating that he needs gizmos these days. He trades blows with only two of the thugs, but they are all he can handle. If not for the enhanced strength of his latest costume, he might not even be able to take them. With them all subdued, he leans on the wall catching his breath as his tired old lungs burn with fire.

He looks up and sees her there watching and he hates his weakness even more. She didn't help but she doesn't trust him enough to let him tackle this alone. He hates that she is right to watch over him even more. He is not sure if he can do this but he will die trying. Still he is not dead yet so he pushes himself up right while giving her a knowing glare. He is Batman.

He makes his way through the Joker's lair dispatching a few goons here and there. He is suspicious that there are so few goons along the way but reluctantly grateful. She has been helping again. He loves her for understanding him enough to know the mission is what matters and not his feelings or pride. He curses her because he doubts he would let himself do this if in her place. Love is such a screwed up thing. He chuckles which is an eerie sound in this abandoned funhouse. The poor goon about to attack is unnerved by the laugh and turns to run. A batarang ensures he doesn't get far.

At last at the main door, he pauses to regroup. His energy is fading so he uses one of his cheats. He doesn't even feel the needle anymore but the fire it delivers to his blood is welcome. This is another thing they don't talk about but still disagree on. The rational side of him knows she is right that even small doses of Bane's venom are dangerous to play with but his stubborn pride won't let him stop. He has a mission and he will till the day he dies. She understands this too. "_God, I don't deserve her."_

Joker sits quietly on his clown throne. The oxygen running to his nose isn't even mixed with laughing gas any more. The ravages of age haven't been kind to him. Only his mind has let him get this far, but now that too is failing. So it is time to play his final joke. Perhaps he will finally get the last laugh.

The door explodes inward as Batman marches through. He looks as impressive as ever. Joker has always envied his presence. "No one enters a room like you Bats" he jokes. "Is it time to finally end our little game?" he queries.

"Arkum is the only place you are going." Batman promises in his stern gravelly voice.

"Bruce, not this time. Oh yes I have know for sometime. I didn't want to ruin the game though. Sadly age it seems will get the last laugh. Look at us. It is not fair that we have made it this far." He looks fondly up lost in a memory. "I so wish I went out when I was on top. Now I am reduced to a bad joke. The girl you came for is fine. In fact, the moment you entered I had my men release her. I just wanted to see you one last time old friend. I just had to try one last time to get a laugh out of you. Not feeling giggly are you? Oh well." Joker finishes as he strikes a match.

The oxygen ignites instantly and Bruce knows he will never get out of the room in time. He doesn't have to, as she is there shielding him. She smiles at him as they fall through the collapsing floor. Their suits protect them from the worst of it but he still sees a piece of rebar sticking through her chest. They land in the sewer below with a crash. Debris rains down on them and he feels pain in several places. She smiles at him as she pulls the rebar free of her body. She smiles at him as she places her hands on him. Her smile is the last he sees before blackness claims him.

Some time later he wakes to find her lying cold in the sewer next to him. This is always the hardest part. Waiting has never been one of his strong suits. He lacks the strength to move her. Even with her healing, his body can endure only so much these days. So he does what he can. He gently lifts her onto his lap and brushes the stray hair out of her beautiful face. She looks the same as when they first met. It is a blessing and a curse.

When she wakes, she smiles up at him. Love so clear in her eyes that it hurts him. He hates that she loves him so. He hates what they have become. She sees what is behind his eyes and her smile fades. It feels as if the sun has been taking from him but it is better this way. They struggle to their feet and make their way home. Neither has the will for the fight they both now is coming so they ride in silence to the cave.

"Bruce, no. This was the last time. You need to retire. You aren't immortal." Chloe tells him.

"I can't." he pleads with her even though he has known for some time now that his body can no longer keep pace with his will. He hates that she is still young and beautiful. He hates that she is still with him. He is an old man, nearly 90. Sure, her power has kept him in great shape for his age but he is still aging. His body is slowing down. She shouldn't waste her time with him but he is too selfish to let her go either. Not that she has even hinted at leaving him.

"Perhaps it is time to talk about a replacement?" she suggests knowing that even bringing up this subject is to drive a knife deep into him. When she first found out, she thought her new power was cool but now she knows just what immortality means. She will always be force to watch everyone she loves slowly slip away from her a little bit more year after year while she just goes on. The fact she can't even have children to share eternity with was an even harder blow. _"How does Clark deal with this?"_

He surprises her by pulling out a folder. "I think Terry has potential" he tells her as he hands her the folder.

Reviewing the folder, she is impressed to see he has been planning for some time. After all their years together he still manages to keep secrets from her. Husbands everywhere would pay big money to know his secret. "I think you are right. How do you want to handle first contact?" she states.

Terry McGinnis is walking down the street well after his curfew. Since the death of his father things like curfew just don't seem to matter. _"What is point?" _

"Good evening" a voice says dragging him out of his self pity for a moment.

Terry looks up and around to see an old man with a cane walking past him. The man looks back at him and smiles politely. There is something familiar about the man but Terry doesn't care to think hard enough about the man to remember. He turns and starts to walk further on when he hears "Just give me the money old man."

Terry turns back towards the old man and sees a figure in the shadows pointing a weapon at the poor old guy. Turns out the old man is feisty because he struggles with the figure only to be struck to the ground. The figure lifts its weapon to end the old man and without thinking Terry tackles the figure. His charge knocks the weapon away. Terry manages to land on top of the strange. He pins the attacker's thin arms and that is when he realizes he just tackled a girl. His momentary distraction is all she needs to kick him off of her. She bolts into the shadows. Terry's instincts urge him to chase her but his brain reminds him of the old man. Turning back to the man, he helps the old guy to his feet. "Are you ok?" he asks.

"I am fine thanks to you. That was a brave thing you did. There aren't many brave people left in the world." the old man replies.

"I wasn't thinking so don't make a big deal of it." Terry snaps back angry at himself for snapping at this old guy in the first place. "_Just say you're welcome and walk away_" his brain tells him.

"I could use a brave man. I don't suppose you could use a job?" the old man continues.

"_A job? Do I want a job? Money would be nice and it might get mom off my ass_." Looking the old man in the eye, Terry asks "What kind of job?"

"One like you have never had before. By the way, my name is Bruce, Bruce Wayne." he says as he offers his withered old hand.

Terry shakes the man's hand and is surprised to find strength still in his grip. There is more to this guy than meets the eye which he supposes is not a surprise as Bruce Wayne is something of a legend here in Gotham. "Sounds interesting"

Terry's training goes well. Despite being headstrong and full of anger, Terry is a good kid. While he lacks, Bruce's detective skills, his instincts go a long way to compensating. In time, Terry will make a great Batman.

Bruce sits at the control console and tries not to think of the sparing going on behind him. It is not as he hasn't done the same thing with dozens of others over the years but something about this time brings out his jealousy. Perhaps it is because part of him is hoping she falls in love with Terry so she won't be alone when he dies. Unable to stop himself, he turns to watch them spar. The sweat glistens off her lovely as ever form as she beats an embarrassed Terry into the mat. Bruce laughs out loud at Terry's awkwardness distracting her for a second. Embarrassed himself now, Bruce yells in his best gruff voice "It is just nudity. Get it together McGinnis!"

**Several months later:**

"I think he is ready." Chloe tells Bruce.

"Really? I think he is as green as you were and he isn't immortal." he replies as he sips his tea trying to hide the shaking in his arm.

Concern flashes across her eyes but she loves him too much to comment. They both know he won't live forever so there is no point in rubbing it in. "He is green which is why he needs to hit the streets. He has learned all he can here. Also, he is bursting to get out there. He has the hunger just like you and I do." she replies.

There is a fondness in her voice which he hates. He is such a fool to be so jealous. It clouds too much of his thoughts. She has never wavered in her devotion to him despite numerous attempts by others to win her or at least bed her. He hates her more for that devotion. He is an old man while she is young and beautiful. She shouldn't waste her time watching him die slowly. It is not fair.

He laughs to himself when he thinks of their cover story. When it became apparent that make up wouldn't be able to hide the fact she wasn't aging much longer, she suggested a marvelous solution. Chloe Sullivan suffered a tragic fatal car accident while visiting relatives in Smallville. They then held a painful despite being fake funeral service for her. Bruce then mourned for a few months before taking up with a young twenty something who just happens to look like his deceased wife did when she was younger. The tabloids had a field day with a 60 year old Bruce Wayne running around with a twenty something gold digger. When he married her a few years later, everyone worried about his sanity for not insisting on a prenup and then considered him plain crazy for changing his will to leave her just about everything.

Chloe had a grand time playing the gold digger bimbo blowing through Bruce's money. Although she hated the "indiscretions" they arranged by having her spend the weekend at some young studs place or having dinner with that hot new actor while poor Bruce was away on business. It was only because Bruce insisted that she agreed. None of the men in question's egos would let them ever publicly kill the rumors they had slept with her which only added to the deception. They had a brief scare over that one jock that got grabby and Chloe put him in the hospital, but the jock just spun it to imply she was into some very kinky things.

Dragging himself back to the present, he concedes "Fine. Take him out tonight but keep it simple". He knows Terry is ready, but is bit disappointed Terry didn't push harder for this sooner. He doesn't challenge Chloe the way he does Bruce which is a weakness. Bruce has lived long enough to know women are by far the more dangerous sex.

"Suit up" are the words Terry has been waiting to hear for months now. He finishes his set of hanging upside down sit-ups and flips easily off the bar. He enters the armor vault full of excitement. The legends of his youth are lined up here. Hell, he gets to work with the original Batwoman.

After all these years everyone just assumed it was a new person in the Batwoman costume. Chloe enhanced this perception by changing her hair color and facial makeup every few years. She laughs about how such little things completely throw people. Clark has been getting away with his glasses routine for years now.

Terry's début is a huge success. The people of Gotham find renewed hope with the knowledge that there is a new Batman watching over them. Not even Batwoman has the same effect as Batman. Something about him just inspires people.

Chloe is proud of how Terry handles himself. The added pressure does but deeply into his personal life but he rarely complains. He just dons the suit and rushes to the rescue. As much as she loves Bruce, she must admit is nice to have someone on the streets again with her. Terry is so full of life, it is refreshing. Death has dominated far too much of her world lately. She resolves to try and enjoy life more, particularly the time she has left with Bruce.

Bruce makes his way through his mansion home looking for what he fears most. The laughter coming from the bedroom is muffled so he can't be sure so he has to get closer. He stands outside the door for a full minute listening to the sounds of their passion before he works up the courage to push open the door. As he is reaching for the door, a hand appears at his side and stops him. "Let him have his fun with his girlfriend." she chides him before she catches the fear in his eyes. She is confused for a moment but then she understands. She slaps him and storms away. He cries in a very unlike Batman way as he slumps against the hallway wall. His tears are a mixture of relief that he is wrong and guilt of even having thought it in the first place.


	16. Chapter 16

Disclaimer: Smallville and DC are not mine no matter how much I may wish otherwise. I am just borrowing a few pieces for a bit. Enjoy. Part XVI

Terry may not be the most aware guy in the world, but the tension between Chloe and Bruce is so thick he could cut it with a knife. He has figured out the old man screwed up something, but has no idea what. He knows from personal experience that women can hold a grudge for a long time. He shudders to think what it must be like to be in love with an immortal one.

Watching what time has done to Bruce is very sobering for Terry. He knew about the more obvious risks of being Batman, but he had never considered what age would do. Terry knows the rush of being Batman. He doubts he would want to give that up either. He tried talking to Bruce or letting Bruce talk to him, but the old man is too stubborn and set in his ways.

Chloe or Donna as is her name this century has been even less forthcoming which is odd because she was always confided in him in the past. She answered all his questions about becoming Batman. He thought they were close but now there is a distance. It hurts.

He has debated talking to Dana, but something made him hold off. The strain of her not being apart of Batman's world is tearing them apart. The secrets get harder everyday. Perhaps that is part of Chloe and Bruce's issue. He knows they keep some things from him.

Bruce walks into the study where she sits reading. It is a long walk to her chair. He stands there with his cane trying to hold onto his courage. He must do this. It is for the best. He is Batman. Batman always does the right thing no matter what it costs him. Summoning his voice, he says "I am sorry."

She looks up at him over her book still mad that he could think so little of her. She is not pleased to hear his apology as it means she must forgive him like her heart has wanted to do since the other day when the incident occurred. "_I should be more understanding. You know how hard this is for him. He only wants what is best for you"_ arguments bouncing through her brain have only been stroking her anger even as she admits the truth of them. Still, she pledge her life to him and he should know she wouldn't break that promise. Dropping her book, she stands before him as she replies "I swore to spend my life with you for better or worse. I keep my promises."

"But in this case shouldn't have too. I release you from your vow." he says proud he had the courage to let her go. She deserves more than he can give her.

"Damn you, you stubborn bastard! I am making my choice. If I was unhappy I would leave, but I don't want to! I want to be with you for however long we have! I love you!" she exclaims. She takes his head in her hands so he has to meet her eyes. She sees his shame in not being the man he once was. She sees the loathing for his current limitations. She also sees some small spark of the man she fell in love with still in there. "Bruce, don't let time destroy what we have built?" she pleads

"Time destroys all things." he replies coldly as he turns and walks out of the room. The silence that fill his absence is interrupted by her quiet crying.

"Ok Bruce, I am tired of dancing around you too. Spill it. What happened between you two?" Terry demands. Despite her efforts to hide it, he has found Chloe crying more than once and Bruce hasn't left the cave in days. He has had enough.

"Time" Bruce replies with his usual cryptic declaration.

"Time? What the hell does that mean?" Terry replies too frustrated to get it at first then it dawns on him. Pieces to the puzzle fill in. "You're dying!" he declares.

"We all do." Bruce replies still hard at work at whatever he has been doing these past few weeks.

Tired of Bruce's games, Terry turns Bruce's chair so he has to stop working and face him. "There is something more going on here. What aren't you telling me?"

"How is Dana?" Bruce inquires coldly.

"You know she dumped me over all this!" Terry shouts his self control slipping.

"Ours is a hard life. Someone on the outside can't understand." Bruce tells him.

Suddenly, it dawns on him where Bruce is going with this. "You meant for me to replace you in more ways than just Batman? Didn't you!" The very thought freaks him out. He loves Chloe, but not like that. She is more like a mother or big sister.

"Her happiness is what I wanted. I won't live forever, but she will. She needs a partner who is her equal. Not a tired old man." Bruce calmly tells him.

"_God, I hate how he does that, talking about the most painful things like discussing the weather_." Terry is not fooled. He knows inside Bruce is hurting. Terry has seen how much Bruce loves Chloe. He doesn't pretend to understand a love as strong as theirs, but he does hope to find a love like that himself one day. "Bruce, it is not your choice. It is hers. She stays because she loves you and wants to be here." Terry implores.

"She loves the man I used to be. Time has taken that man from her and all that is left is this" He gestures at his frail form. "She is in love with a memory. She should move on. She should find someone new who can be all she deserves." Bruce states.

Terry disgusted with this pity party replies "You're right Bruce. She does deserve better than this." before storming to the vault to don his costume. Hitting the streets will ease his stress and give Bruce some time to face her.

Bruce waits impatiently for the elevator to reach the mansion level. When he had this installed when he built the cave, he was being practical figuring he would have to haul supplies up and down. He didn't imagine using it to haul himself up and down. When the doors part he makes his way to her study. He finds she is not there as she would normally be at this time of day. He makes his way through the house seeking her. He finally finds her in their bedroom with a half packed suitcase. She sits on the bed staring at her feet.

"You deserve better than I have given lately. I will try to do better." Bruce promises. When she turns her head to him, he can see the tears in on her cheeks. He drops the cane in his rush to her. He takes her in his arms and holds while murmuring all the things he should have said.

A Few Years Later

Bruce sits before the monitor in horror. Terry is down and Chloe is surrounded. He shouts desperately into the mike even though he knows they can't hear him. He doesn't know where The Jokers got their cyber upgrades, but he swears whoever it is will pay dearly. She fights on, but Bruce can see she is weakening. The darts they keep hitting her with must be some sort of super toxin to have any effect on her. He is remote piloting the Batmobile to attempt a rescue but it takes an eternity for it to break the wall and get to them. She sees the car break through the wall and she grabs Terry. She tries to fly up to the car but one of the Jokers manages to wrap her legs in cable. It takes several Jokers but they manage to hold onto her. She throws Terry at the car and her heart sinks when she sees she missed the open cockpit. Fate is kind and his unconscious form comes to rest on the hood.

"Get him out. Please get him out." she says and gestures.

Bruce hesitates. He can't use the car to engage the Jokers with Terry precariously balanced on the hood, but he can't bring himself to leave her either. His heart wrenches when he sees Jokers pile onto her, finally, managing to pin her under them. The car's cameras relay her struggles but Bruce knows there are too many for her to escape. Hating himself, he orders the car to return to the cave. The last image of Chloe struggling under the pile he freezes on his screen.

While the autodoc is treating Terry's many injuries, Bruce dives into the net. He traces every lead he can find on The Jokers and by the time Terry is out of surgery he has found what he was looking for. Derek Powers is back. He has used his radioactive powers to take control of Gotham's underworld. The reason he had The Jokers capture Batwoman chills Bruce to the core. Ever since being turned into the radioactive nightmare Blight, Derek has been searching for a way to become human again. It appears he figured out that Batwoman has been the same woman all along. He took her to learn her secret.

Luckily for Bruce, Derek is using several old Wayne Powers Technology facilities which Bruce can remotely access. After several long hours, he finds her. Hacking the building's security Bruce is able to access the cameras. He watches with a knife twisting in his guts as she is tortured by various testing machines. He watches helplessly as Derek's techs poke and prod her. His blood chills when the head tech announces "The process is more complicated than we thought and will require more of the subject's DNA than we initially thought but it will work. You do realize that this process will kill her though."

"I don't care what happens to her! Just fix me!" rants Blight with his hands glowing.

"Yes sir. We will prep the machines. We can start in a hour." the tech assures his mad master.

One hour. It is not enough time. Clark is still off world and there is no one else close enough. He goes to check on Terry, but as he feared Terry will be out of action for several days. Knowing Terry would try despite his injuries, Bruce orders the autodoc to keep him asleep for the next few hours. He then heads to his personal vault. There he opens a secret panel and takes out a vial. Not one to give up, Bruce had spent years trying various treatments and drugs to turn back the clock but none had been successful. The vial in his hand which was a combination of Chloe's blood, Bane's venom, and various other experimental chemicals was the closest to success. For a time, it turned back the clock as well as enhancing the user but all the test subjects died horrible deaths a few hours later. "It will be long enough." thinks Bruce as he injects himself. His veins are on fire but the pain is welcomed. Dressing in his old costume, Bruce heads out into the night one last time.

Chloe screams in spite of her best efforts not to as the needle penetrates her spine. After all these years she has gotten used to enduring an enormous amounts of pain, but this is more than she has ever felt before. It feels like whatever they are injecting is taking her apart from the inside out.

Explosions cause the techs to pause, but Derek shouting at them gets them moving again. Still, they nervously look over their shoulders at the sounds coming closer and closer. The reinforced blast door groans under an impact. Dents appear in it. At last the wall in which the door is placed gives way and it crashes to the ground. The Jokers in the room charge the intruder diving into the smoke filled hallway. Screams and the sounds of bones and metal breaking announce the return of their broken bodies. Blight, not about to be denied his chance at humanity, fires into the hallway. More screams fill the hall then silence. Confident the threat has been dealt with Blight snaps at his techs to get back to work.

However, when the smoke clears there is one figure still standing: Batman in his old costume. Blight immediately realizes that the man in this costume is not the same one his Jokers defeated a few hours ago. This man has the air of a predator which the other lacked. Determined to let nothing keep him from his dream of becoming human once more, Blight attacks with everything he has. He strikes Batman time and time again but Batman does not fall. In fact, Blight finds himself being driven back. All his efforts focused on keeping Batman from finishing him. Blight considered himself a driven man, but the eyes of this Batman show him what it is to be truly driven. This Batman will not be stopped. Eventually, Blight fails to block one of Batman's attacks and he flies backward. He slams into a control console which promptly explodes and buries him in debris.

Bruce's lungs burn and his knees are weak. He feels the fire leaving him, but it lasted long enough. Blight is defeated. She will be ok. He strides over to where she is held and starts to free her. He avoids her eyes as they both know there is only one way for him to have done all this. Before he finishes cutting her other hand free, the drug's effects wear completely off. Dizzy with his heart racing, Bruce needs a moment to collect himself.

Before he has recovered enough to finish, Blight has freed himself from the wreckage and blasts Bruce in the back. The pain is intense but nothing compared to what he was already feeling from the battle damage and the drug. Bruce is thrown across the room and into the far wall. Blight pours his power into him driving him to the ground.

Pleased with his victory Blight leaves the still smoldering Batman and walks over to Batwoman. "Impressive. He was truly impressive but in the end nothing can stop me." he says and then laughs. The tears on her cheeks bring a smile to his lips. Her renewed struggles warm his heart. He has killed one legend and is eager for the second to cure him. He will then share his triumph with the world and it will fall at his feet. "_It has been a good day._"

A noise draws Blights attention back to the fallen Batman. Blight watches in amazement as the burnt body stands and starts advancing. "So you are not the only one." Blight says to Batwoman as he is convinced Batman must be like her. He is not concerned. He will just have to put the Bat down harder this time. He summons his power and focuses on Batman. To his amazement, Batman doesn't fall. He continues to advance. Blight pours more and more of his power into his attack but to no avail. Determined not to be defeated Blight shouts. "Why won't you fall?"

"I am Batman." is the horse reply as Batman closes the distance between them.

The cold realization that he has lost sinks into Blight. In a final desperate move he unleashes every ounce of power he has. As he fades out of existence, he is tormented to see Batman still standing.

With Blight defeated, Bruce staggers to Chloe. He tries to reach for her, but misses and falls at her feet. She breaks her hand to get it free so she can lean down to hold him. "Oh Bruce." she mummers as she holds his shattered body. She starts to summon her power but his hand stops her.

"I love you." he whispers. His eyes close as his heart stops.

"Bruce!" she screams as her heart dies with him. Not caring what it costs her, she focuses her power to drag him back to her but as she does so she finds his spirit waiting for her.

"It is time. I have to go." his spirit tells her.

"I don't want to live with out you." she declares while trying to figure out how he is blocking her power.

"But you will learn. The mission continues. The world still needs you. Let me go." he begs.

Crying, she reluctantly agrees. Their souls embrace one last time and he departs. Back in her body tears flow freely down her cheeks.

**A Few Days Later**

The funeral for Bruce Wayne is an international event with Heads of State, celebrities, etc. It is a circus that Chloe hates, but she gets through with Terry and Clark by her side. Her open display of grief erases any questions about whether or not "Donna" loved her much older husband.

Through it all, Terry is a godsend. His strength keeps her going. The legacy of Batman is in good hands. She is so proud of him. She even did him the same favor Alfred once did her by arranging for Max to live at the Mansion. Max is far better suited to this life than Dana ever would have been and in time she thinks Terry will see the light.

In private, they have service for Bruce. This one is far harder. Her grief nearly overwhelms her several times. She does her best to sum up his life in her eulogy but words seem so inadequate when describing Bruce. She does her best. She is touched by the words of their friends even if their shared memories bring more tears to her eyes.

**After the Private Service**

"He was a good man." Clark tells her as they stand side by side alone by his grave.

"He was." she replies through her tears as they both stand there all dressed in black. "Rest in peace Bruce. You earned it." she says. She walks slowly away from the gravestone.

As Clark watches her go, he knows she is leaving too. He understands. It is hard being immortal. The only upside is he knows she will be back one day.

_Thank you to all my readers. The kind words from my reviewers did wonders for my motivation. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing it._


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